Falling Slowly
by OliviaLovesFitz8
Summary: When two people belong together, a fated love makes it possible. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Scandal or any of its characters.
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

Olivia Pope looked into the mirror above her driver's seat, double checking her makeup before grabbing her clutch and exiting the car. She didn't necessarily need the accessory, but it was the only way to keep up with her phone seeing as the dress she wore didn't have pockets, and her phone was a emerald green dress had a bodice fit at the top, and loosened at her hips, creating a flare effect that did wonders to her figure. It had taken her a while to decide what she would be wearing on this particular night, knowing that it wasn't just a regular date for them. They would be celebrating six full months of dating. She didn't think that was possible a year and a half ago when she felt like nearly everything in her life was turned upside down with no hopes of finding stable ground.

Shaking thoughts of the past from her mind, she grabbed her shawl from the backseat, knowing this particular restaurant always had her shivering and leaving her with the visible goose bumps he claimed to love.

_Love_

The three words most people waited a lifetime to hear were the words that brought fear into the depths of her soul. Those words had been said to her years ago by someone claiming to want her forever and she'd said them back, truly believing that she meant them. She thought they had something good and after almost two years of being blinded by his charm, his love brought lies, secrets, fear, and heartache. The three words from her past only left her broken and believing that she would never be whole again. That was until about six months ago.

_Olivia went to Duke University, where she met her best friend Abby Whelan just days after moving into the sophomore's dorm they had completely different majors, Abby's being Pre-Law, and hers being Elementary Education, they spent a lot of time together, and both joined various school organizations. Abby was more of a free spirit and Olivia always admired how she could be herself no matter who was around, whereas Olivia was a closed book. A book that you had to pry open before ever getting to the preface. Regardless, they hit it off right away, and became attached at the hip. _

_If you were friends- good friends with Olivia Pope, which only consisted of a handful of people, you would know that back then her only family was her younger brother Harrison. She learned the technique of survival from a young age after watching her mother nearly suffer a nervous breakdown when her father was killed. She was just four years old. She had vague memories of him, most from pictures and videos of the two of them, her mother most likely swollen from her pregnancy with her brother and not wanting to be in front of the camera. Olivia loved dressing up in his police uniform, and hat leaving them to play pretend for hours. She was too young to realize that his job kept him in danger, she just knew her daddy was her hero. Harrison didn't have any memories of their father, he was barely a toddler when he was killed._

_Harrison was only three years younger than her, so she became his maternal figure when their mother lost her battle with cancer during her junior year at Duke. She was twenty-one years old and planning a funeral for her mother, while figuring out how to get her seventeen year old brother to keep pushing through his last year of high school. To say she was lost would be an understatement, but she managed. She always managed and reminded herself that as long as she pulled through, everything would be ok._

_It was during her junior year at Duke that she decided to join the debate club. If Olivia were honest with herself, it was more of Abby forcing her to join so she wouldn't be paired with another "some brain dead freak that couldn't find his way out of a paper bag." Olivia didn't mind too much, but she loved giving her best friend a hard time. Abby always made it clear that she wasn't too proud to beg. On the first official meeting, she was introduced to the officers, and they were divided up into two teams, and the debating started. It didn't take long for Olivia to realize that although she was good, she wasn't very interested in debate club. Abby was a head debater and already gained seniority in her one year of being in the club, but she wanted to find something for herself. Venturing off in search of something else, Olivia was drawn to the Autism Speaks U Duke office, and signed up without a second thought. _

_It was two meetings later that Olivia found herself paired with a senior, drafting up individual letters to families in the community that recently sent in applications to the program. This was his third semester being a part of the program, and he was a great teacher. She was completely shocked at how well they not only got along, but seemed to work well together, feeding off one another, and simply enjoying the others company. They weren't paired together every meeting, but the third time he found himself being paired with her, he fought his nerves and asked her out._

"_I'm sorry, but I'm actually dating someone right now and it wouldn't be fair to either of you. And you're such a good friend already, I wouldn't want things to get weird at all…."_

_Before she could finish, he jumped in, trying his best to calm her nerves, "Olivia, it's ok trust me. I just thought I'd take a shot, and ask, but I completely understand. He's a lucky guy, and I hope he knows that."_

_He bowed out gracefully after that, and they strictly had a platonic relationship until he graduated at the end of the semester. Wished she would've known back then that the relationship she was in would be nearly the worst thing that ever happened to her._

_When he approached her, she had been dating Jake Ballard at the time, and in her mind he was everything she'd ever dreamed of wanting. If she were honest with herself, she'd realize that she'd never grown up seeing a healthy relationship, and had never experienced watching two people in love. With her father dying so young, her mother never remarried, but devoted herself to raising her children. There was never an example of how a man should treat a woman, or how you're to balance the relationship, both giving, and not just taking, so what she had with Jake Ballard, in her eyes was perfection._

_Another thing about Jake that made her believe that what they had was real is that he was almost four years older than her and so much more experienced. She'd first locked eyes with him in the Political Science class she'd taken as an elective, and he was the student teacher. He really did sink his teeth into her, and made sure she couldn't escape. He was a third year law student working only twelve hours a week with two different classes while continuing his education just down the road at UNC. _

_Thinking back on it now, she wished that she didn't have what Abby called 'daddy issues." She'd say, "Liv, I'm sorry, but you want the love of a man, and after not having that love from your father I get it, but I'm telling you, Jake isn't it. Yea, ok, so he has a pretty face, and eyes that look like honey but that dude is crazy as hell and possessive already." Abby was her best friend, but she didn't listen. She had to look past the flaws and just accept him as he was. He was mature, resourceful, incredibly brilliant and had something most guys her age didn't- a plan to succeed no matter what. _

_His succession with her led to them moved in together after Liv graduated and Abby went to UNC for Law School, while she started her student teaching. Things weren't always perfect between them, but she understood that he was coming into his own as a new lawyer freshly hired right out of law school, and that things would be strenuous for a while. She loved her student teaching job, and adored the children she was able to work with everyday. Her favorite days were when she was able to construct lesson plans for their special needs students and work in the smaller, one-on-one environment. _

_Jake didn't get the joy that Olivia got from work, he instead spent his days working as a Criminal Defense Attorney, dealing with the worst the state had to offer. Olivia thought that being a newcomer he would ease his way into clients, but he went straight for the jugular representing hardcore criminals without hesitation. The high that it gave him, brought a strain on their relationship, but Olivia found herself invested and unable to walk away even when red flag presented themselves. _

_Jake proposed to her months later, and they were engaged for nearly a year. She admitted to Abby that she was dragging her feet on the wedding planning, but not to anyone else. She always trusted her gut, and her gut told her not to go through with it, but with all the ties she now had to him, there was no way she could leave him._

Stepping into the restaurant, Olivia immediately spotted him at _their_ table, and moved as quickly as she could into his embrace. His arms were long and muscular, engulfing her completely and making her immediately feel safe as they always did. He pulled back just enough to capture her lips in a heated kiss, one hand automatically moving to its home on her soft cheek while the other rested on the small of her back.

"Not seeing you this week, has been torture Livvie," he finally spoke to her, including his signature smirk.

"Babe, it's only Wednesday, and you saw me Sunday afternoon, that hardly qualifies as torture worthy" she sassed back with a bright smile, her hands gripping the sides of his suit jacket. "You clean up well you know?"

"Well I had to put on my best for my girl. Always the best for you" he pulled back before motioning to the chair he had pulled out for her before taking his own seat.

They made small talk about their week, and how busy their day had been before they were able to get ready for the night together.

"Any new patients today?" Olivia asked after taking a small sip of wine. She didn't drink everytime they went out, but he knew that when she did, it would be a small amount.

"No one new, but some normal check-ups that I had on the schedule for the day. Oh, and something interesting did happen today," he began before bringing the cloth napkin to his mouth. "I was asked to go over to General and assist in the ER for a few hours"

"The ER? Wow, what was that like? I'd be terrified to be responsible for everything that comes through there" Olivia grimaced slightly, before stabbing at her salmon and feeding herself the delicious seafood.

Widening his eyes, he leaned back in his chair, taking a break from his steak and potatoes, what he called "a real man's meal," and exhaled loudly. "It was exhilarating to be honest, and a stressful, yet nice change of pace. It definitely took me back to my med school rotations and let me tell you, I slayed the ER during my residency" His smile said it all. It's not that he was a cocky bastard, he was just proud of his accomplishments.

"How long were you in the ER?" She enjoyed that although they have been together for six months, there were still new things to learn about one another. She loved not knowing every single thing about him yet.

"Well I started with ER, but once I realized I wanted to work with patients that wouldn't always curse me out or try to kill me, I transferred out. I did have my rotations there for six weeks, and I swear that's the least amount of sleep I've had in my entire life"

"Well, although I'm a bit biased, I'm thankful you found your calling, and I know you're the best out there"

He smiled one of his goofy smiles her way- the kind he had only reserved for her since they reconnected. He was so in love with her that he couldn't think rationally when it came to her. When they first started dating, he knew that certain topics were off limits in the beginning, but as time went on, he was slowly able to crack the shell around her heart. He still wasn't a fool. He knew he had a lot of barriers to break through with her. There was a large part of her heart he waited patiently to be welcomed in to, and if he had to wait a lifetime, he would.

"I love you Livvie"

She smiled at him, her eyes immediately glazed with tears just as they did the first time he'd spoke those words nearly two months ago. She didn't understand how he could be so sure of his love for her, but he made it clear that he meant it one hundred percent. She also never felt pressure to repeat the words to him, but it was always on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to give herself completely to him, but she couldn't just yet. They had been intimate on three occasions, and Olivia had only ever felt a connection that strong with one other person her entire life.

She loved him. She just couldn't say it back to him. "I know you do" her eyes said the rest to him. He reached into his jacket pocket to pull out a wide rectangular wrapped gift box, and slid it across the table.

"We said no gifts remember?" she asked although she knew he wouldn't cooperate. "I honestly didn't get you anything"

"This is a gift for the both of us. Just open it"

She plucked apart the wrapping paper, and opened the box to reveal a few pieces of paper folded. Unfolding it and reading the words, her lips slowly spread into a wide smile, before she eyed him.

"These are reservations. These are reservations for the Chatwal Hotel. TheChatwal Hotel in New York City"

"Livvie," he started, leaning forward across the table, "I know exactly where those reservations are for. I'm taking you, my Livvie, my baby to New York City this weekend if you will let me" His whispers against her lips had her blushing and caused a shiver to run down her spine.

"It's for Friday through Sunday. I.. I really don't know if that's a good idea, you know I can't…"

He cut her off, "Livvie, it'll all be fine, let's work out the details tomorrow, just say you'll join me" He looked directly into her eyes, silently pleading for her to be okay with this. He knew them leaving together for a weekend was a big step for them.

"I'll join you" she didn't have to lean in much for her lips to connect with his, and it only took seconds for them to enter their own world. No one else existed in that moment, except the two of them. "Thank you baby" She pulled back, and laughed at the smile covering his face.

Victory

Fitz waited up for Olivia to call him once she got in and settled. He was used to the drill by now, and was happy to receive the text letting him know that she'd made it home, and would call him shortly.

Text. Girl talk. Proper Goodnights. Make up removal. Pjs. Phone call.

When Olivia walked into the apartment, she squinted at the flashlight being pointed directly into her eyes.  
"Caught ya!" Abby whispered, sitting on the couch in the darkened living room.

"Geez you freak, get the light out of my face" she walked in and locked the door behind her, before plopping down on the couch next to her. "It's not like I'm sneaking in, I live here remember best friend, and you knew what time I was coming home, I texted you when I left."

Waving her hand dismissively, Abby turned on the lamp that sat on the coffee table, and turned to face Olivia. "So, how did it go? What did he get you? I know he didn't go for your "no gifts" rule"

Smiling, Olivia lifted the box that he'd given her from the floor where she'd kicked off her shoes and dropped her clutch and shawl, and handed it to her. She didn't look at Abby as the smile spread on her face, but she could hear it in her best friends' voice when she decided to speak.

"You're going Liv, no excuses"

"Abby, you know I can't…"

"Olivia Carolyn Pope, I know that this is a huge step, and you're scared, but you deserve this. Go away with him this weekend, and enjoy yourself."

"But this weekend is his.."

"I know it's already on my calendar, and the rest I'll take care of. I got it covered, you know that. Over a cliff"

Olivia stared at her knowing that she meant those words with everything in her. She'd been living with Abby now since the moment she moved out of Jake's and hadn't looked back. That was a year and a half ago, and their old college saying of "over a cliff" had been taken to a new level. They always had each other's best interest at heart and would do anything for one another.

Sighing, Olivia smiled and leaned in to hug the redhead, fighting the tears usually came when they used their mantra. "Then it's settled. I'm leaving this weekend"

"With your boo!" Abby exclaimed loudly, kicking her feet wildly. She was so excited Liv finally found someone worth her love.

"You are so childish. I'm going to bed…"

"Then calling your boo. I know you two like to have your nightly phonesex" she got up to put the dishes she had used in the sink, before turning off the tv, and walking down the hall to her own room. "Night Liv"

Olivia smiled at Abby before going in her room quietly and getting ready for bed. She hung her dress back up, deciding to drop it at the dry cleaners the following day, then worked on ridding her face of makeup before she hopped in the shower. She normally wouldn't take that long to call him back, but after deciding to go through with this weekend, she needed to clear her mind and a shower was a sure way to do it. She let the water cascade down her frame, and only allowed hopes for the future to enter her mind. She couldn't keep dwelling on her past and letting it control her. It might have only been six months, but it felt like they'd been waiting for it to be their time since the day they'd met.

She felt butterflies in her stomach thinking of their weekend together in New York. She'd only been once when she dropped Harrison off at Columbia University. He had done his undergrad at Duke like she had, but wanted to try his hand in the movie business. He'd enrolled in the School of Arts Theater program and dabbled in a few things. It was a big step for her letting him go, but since her good friend Stephen Finch worked at the school in the writing department, she knew she'd have someone looking out for him. She'd introduced the two, they got along well, and Stephen took good care of her little brother. She knew even if she begged, she wouldn't be able to see him during their visit. His team was on the west coast at a film festival, and there was no way Harrison would miss that.

Stepping out of the shower, she dried off then brushed her teeth. Using a smaller towel, she dried her hair before adding a bit of coconut oil to the natural curls. Before she could start applying the oil to her body, she heard a small voice from the other side of the door, making her immediately stop the routine. Switching out her towel for the white satin robe she kept in there, she opened the door and across the hall stood her doe-eyed caramel complected little beauty. She was rubbing her eyes with one hand, while her other was clutching her yellow lovey that she carried everywhere.

Hearing the whimper from her little girl, Olivia immediately bent down and lifted her into her arms before heading back towards their shared bedroom. Burrowing further into her mother's breast, she brought her middle and ring finger into her mouth while Olivia swayed back and forth.

"Mommy missed you tonight sweat-pea" she whispered into the near dark room before gently easing the fingers from her daughter mouth. She never sucked her fingers until recently, and Olivia hated knowing the reason why.

Grabbing her phone from her nightstand, Olivia knew he'd understand what was taking so long for her to get back to him, but also knew he wouldn't sleep without hearing from her.

"Hi" that simple answer made her weak in the knees and she had an instant smile on her face.

"Hi"

"Are you all settled in? Was the princess up with Abby again, or did she follow bedtime protocol tonight?"

"Nope, she was a good Auntie, but now I have a snuggle-bug asleep on my chest. Think she just woke up from hearing the shower, and came looking for me. But I wanted to let you know what was taking so long"

He grinned just picturing the two of them together. Olivia was such a great mom.

"You go be mommy, I'll talk to you tomorrow Livvie. I love you, goodnight"

"Goodnight Fitz"


	2. Chapter 1

_Where the doors are moaning all day long,_

_Where the stairs are leaning dusk 'till dawn,_

_Where the windows are breathing in the light, _

_Where the rooms are a collection of our lives, _

_This is a place where I can't feel alone_

_This is a place that I call my home…._

_This is a place that I call my home…._

Home for Olivia, was anywhere three year old _Madison Olivia _was. She never imagined her life being filled with so much love when she held the positive pregnancy test years ago. The scariest thing she'd ever done, ended up making her not only stronger, but completely happy no matter what life dealt her. She had only been living with Jake a few months after graduation when she found out she was pregnant. She didn't tell him until she was nearly three months along. It was December, and she had made it through her student teaching but was heartbroken to know that she would have to stop her pursuit of earning her teaching certifications.

Jake doted on her throughout her pregnancy in the only way he knew how to. He bought her love and affection. She hated to admit that her little one didn't want for anything, and would be considered spoiled by anyone that witnessed his early antics of buying their daughters' proposed to her as a way of reassuring her that he was all in and although she accepted his proposal, Olivia knew she could never marry him. Abby tried to be happy for her, but knew deep down that Olivia was in a relationship that would only hurt her. Early on she encouraged Olivia to date Jake and allow an older man to take care of her like she deserved, but she regretted the encouraging she put forth. Olivia didn't need a man to take care of her, and proved that every day.

Jake also tried to win her over by expressing himself intimately, making sure she knew that he was still attracted to her throughout her pregnancy. That was something Olivia hated. She never considered herself someone that loved displays of affection, or came off needy and craving sexual intimacy from a guy. That certainly was the case with Jake, and although he made it clear that he found her incredibly sexy, she could've done without his constant attention. Olivia hated the times that she was hormonal, craving that kind of attention from him in one instant, and hating herself the next for leading him on that way. He never seemed to notice though. In his mind, she belonged to him, and he was the best thing for her.

It wasn't the easiest of nights for Olivia and Madison. For some reason the little girl had awakened two more times that night, clinging to her mothers' frame, immediately rousing her from the peaceful state she was in. Olivia found herself awake exactly three minutes before her alarm went off that Monday morning. She figured it was her conscious not wanting to disturb the sleeping girl beside her, so she was happy with the little voice inside her head that constantly woke her early. She hated to untangle herself from Madison's tiny frame, her little breaths tickling her neck, her head was dead weight on Olivia's arm, and her small hands were burrowed under her body. She'd done the burrowing since she was a baby. Anytime she was in the same bed as her mother, Madison would push her hands as far as she could under Olivia's body, and although it annoyed her at first, she grew to love and expect those small hands under her. If she wasn't in bed with her, or moved away, she would turn to her stomach, hands burrowed under her, before her bum would make its way up in the air.

Getting out of the bed, she made her way to the closet and put together her outfit for the day. Her students were starting a new chapter on Social Studies and Communities. She was very excited. She planned to have them create a map of not only their community, but planned to have them develop it into a full project. Her favorite part about being a teacher was pushing them to reach higher and planting a seed for them to grow on their own. She would have them gather out of town relatives locations, and develop maps from their home to the school, and their favorite landmarks in between. It would be a bit much, but she had prepared her own, drawing out a map of Harrison's home in New York leading to their school. She knew her students could do this.

Walking out of her room, she was surprised to see Abby already at the small dining room table.

"You're up pretty early" Olivia greeted.

"I have the mother of all headaches, and needed some tea to calm my nerves. I've already popped a few Tylenol"

"Sorry Abs. I hope we didn't keep you up at all. Maddie was up twice last night with double C's"

"Clinging and crying? What was wrong?" Abby hated that for her goddaughter.

"I really don't know. She'd cling, whimper, then start crying before she just clawed at me to hold her and was fine once I rocked her for a bit. But twice, and that's not like her. She hasn't been this way since the one time with Jake, so I have no clue what caused it. I just hate waking her up now, knowing she hasn't had a good night's sleep."

"I don't have to be in till ten to prep and go over statements with a client, just let her sleep in, and ill drop her before work. We both know how she gets when she doesn't get her sleep. That Pope blood starts boiling, and we have a Madi-Monster to deal with."

Laughing and agreeing, Olivia poured her coffee before toasting herself a bagel. "You're right about that one. Thanks, I might pick her up early from school if I can get an appointment for her today. I need to get that rash on her back checked out, and I'm pretty sure she needs shots, and I might as well get some input on these night terrors or whatever she's having. I hate not being able to do anything for her to prevent them" She put her bagel in a zip lock bag to have once she arrived at school, and grabbed a few things to go in her lunch bag for the day.

"Liv, you're doing everything right. Just find out what lover boy makes of it, and when you get in later we will go over plans for this weekend. I'm not giving you any excuses to back out of this well-deserved getaway"

"Alright, I'm going to get dressed and get out of here. Thanks so much, and go lay back down. She'll be out for a while I think."

It didn't take Olivia long to get dressed and ready for work. Before walking out the door, she knelt beside the bed, said a prayer over her daughter, and kissed her sleeping form goodbye.

One of Olivia's favorite parts of her morning was the phone call she made after dropping Madison off at Preschool. She enjoyed talking with Fitz each morning before work; it was a great way to kick off her day, and they always gave each other encouraging words before facing their day. She loved teaching, but some days the room full of seven and eight year olds could give Fits' crazed patients a run for their money.

"Good morning handsome" Olivia spoke when he answered.

"Hi"

"Hi"

"How's the morning so far? Mads get off okay?"

Liv smiled at the nickname he used for her daughter. He was the only one that called her that.

"Actually she's still home asleep. Abby's gonna take her in for me. She woke up twice last night after I called you. Not sure what was wrong, but she was just shaky and very clingy, so I decided to let her sleep in and Abby's gonna drop her off before she goes in."

"I'm sorry Livvie, I know you hate when that happens. Did you get any sleep at all?"

"Some, I'm just worried about her. Do you by chance have any openings today? With everything happening with Jake, she never went for her three year visit, but I never got the chance to set her appointment up with the receptionist. If you aren't sure, I can call them, I just really wanted to bring her in and have this done before this weekend."

"No, it's fine. I'll always make time for her" he spoke quietly, meaning every word. "What time did you wanna come?" he asked after they were both silent for a few seconds.

"Any time after one. I already let my principal know I'd be leaving at one for an appointment. So I'll just scoop her up once I leave, and we will be on our way"

"Alright how about this, I'll take a late lunch at one-thirty and by the time you get her and get here, I'll be ready for her. That'll give us more than enough time"

"Are you sure" she asked pulling into the school and parking in her normal spot.

"Am I sure that I will move mountains to see my two favorite girls? Yes, I am sure. Plus we can talk about this weekend if you want. So you go to work, and I will see you both later Livvie. I love you, have a good day."

She smiled immediately when he referred to them as _his girls_.

"Thanks babe, I'll see you later"

"Madison Olivia Pope! We need to go, come on girly" Abby yelled through the townhouse that morning.

"Don't you mean Madison Olivia Pope-Ballard, that's my real name Auntie" she came running into the living room, with her pants on backwards after insisting on dressing herself, and donning her new Ugg boots.

"Don't remind me" she muttered under her breath. "Come here short stuff, can I help you with your pants a little? Your mom will flip if she knows I let you leave the house not looking like the princess that you are"

It only took a minute for Abby to switch the pants around.

"These are new huh?" Abby said treading carefully.

"Yes, Uncle Harry sent them to me in the mailbox" Her smile was wide as she bounced excitedly. She was smitten with her uncle, and was constantly spoiled by him as well. Taking a step back, she looked her over and had to laugh at the girls' style, although she will admit she was shocked to not see a certain accessory. She loved to pick out her own clothes, and Olivia allowed her to within reason. She had certain days where she was allowed to completely dress herself, and days that a grown-up had to pick out her clothes. With it being Maddie's day, Abby knew she should expect such a show.

The little girl had chosen a purple short sleeved shirt, her yellow leggings, a black sparkly vest, Yellow arm warmers, and the black Ugg boots. Abby hated to be the one to rain on her parade, but there was no way Olivia would forgive her for letting Maddie go to school with her brand new Uggs on. She was a girly-girl for sure, but usually came home from school all sorts of dirty- so dirty that Olivia has specific "school only" clothes for her.

"I think it's time for one of our grown up talks Madison"

The little girl's eyes grew large- which said a lot considering she'd inherited her mother's doe shaped orbs- at her aunt using her full name.

"Ok Auntie Abby" she responded seriously.

"These are new shows and I really am sure that mommy doesn't want you to wear them to school. You could wear your sparkly Tom shoes, they will match perfect. Or another pair of shoes, but Auntie really can't let you wear those boots babe"

Abby held her breath, hoping to get off easy. She didn't like to discipline Maddie in any form. She was such an easy baby girl. The only time she fought or didn't listen was when it came to what she wanted to wear, and who did her hair. If you weren't mommy or auntie, you didn't touch her hair. It worked out that she usually wasn't with many other people, but there were times when Olivia would pick her up from Jakes, and her little girl would be in tears from him not having the patience while tending to her unruly curls.

"Mommy said so?"

She was a mommy's girl through and mommy says- goes.

"Yes sweetie"

"Ok"

Abby let out a breath, and smiled watching her skip over to the coat closet and dig her shoes out from the bottom drawer.

"Auntie wait!" The little girl disappeared into the bedroom, curls flying behind her and came back seconds later with the one accessory that completed every outfit she picked out.

The Sparkly Silver Tutu.

She handed it over to Abby before using her shoulders to balance and stepped into the skirt. She looked up at her aunt with a proud smile of her face before skipping to the door. Scooping her lunch bag from the fridge that Olivia had packed, Abby tossed Maddie her ear muffs she had become obsessed with before the two headed out the door. It hadn't gotten too cold yet- it was only mid-October- but withMaddie learning in school that Fall/Autumn brought cold weather, she insisted on wearing ear muffs.

Strapping her into the car-seat that was a staple in her car, she was quick to turn on the radio, laughing at the lyrics coming from her mouth. It didn't take her long to arrive at Applewood Preschool, and walk her to class.

"I was wondering where the little miss was today." Quinn Perkins was Madison's teacher, and Olivia was so happy that she was able to get her into that particular class. Olivia and Quinn met originally at the Autism Speaks organization when Liv volunteered for the annual retreat as a leader, and Quinn was in her second year of the program. She had the kind of heart for children that Olivia admired, and she knew she wanted her to be the one to guide her daughter during her first year of preschool.

"Yea, we let the munchkin sleep in today after a long night. But she's packed up and ready to play. Liv will be picking her a little early today, I think she has a check-up, but don't quote me on that. Alright, shorty-by-nature, give me some love so I can go. I'll see you at home tonight"

"Bye Auntie!" squeezing her neck tightly, she kissed her cheek and ran back to the play center.

"Bye short stuff" She gave Quinn a pat on the shoulder with a snarky "have fun with that" and left to go to work.

Olivia smiled at the school secretary as she grabbed the papers from her mailbox before leaving the front office and heading to her car. She was heading towards Maddie's school that was just two miles away. She was only a block away from Applewood when her cell started going off. She lifted it from the side pocket of her purse and groaned when his name appeared.

"What" her voice was deadpanned, obviously wanting the conversation to be over as quickly as possible.

"Well hello to you too Olivia, I know you'd love to skip the pleasantries but I'd rather not. How are you today?"

"Jake, I don't have time for your games. What do you want? Things for the weekend are already.."

"Fine, you don't want pleasantries, we won't make them" he started. "I called to find out what is going to happen this weekend in order for me to see my daughter. This wouldn't be an issue if you hadn't pulled that shit last month and cried wolf"

"Cried wolf!?" she interrupted. "MY daughter ends up in the ER at two o'clock in the morning because she's fishing through your cabinets for food because you didn't feed her, and that's crying wolf!?"

"It's not like I didn't feed her Liv…"

"DO NOT call me that! MY daughter doesn't drink protein shakes for dinner and she sure as hell doesn't eat sushi. The fact that you even have snacks containing peanuts that are kept in her reach isirresponsible and neglectful." She pulled into the school's parking lot and put the car in park, prepared to battle it out with her ex.

"Olivia, you know that was an accident! She shouldn't…"

"Don't you DARE blame my daughter for your bullshit! I guess I should be glad that one of your _whores_ happened to be there when she felt her throat closing and tried to wake you"

Olivia was on the verge of tears just thinking back to the phone call that woke her up in the middle of the night just over a month ago.

_When Madison was away with Jake, Olivia was sure to keep her phone's volume as loud as possible and on the pillow next to her. It wasn't really necessary. Olivia would barely sleep when Madison was at her Jakes' house for the weekend, constantly expecting something to go wrong while she was away. It hadn't happened yet; at least physically. Mentally and emotionally, she knew those visits were slowly damaging her daughter. Once the initial charade of being the loving father wore off when she arrived at his house, he would become neglectful, and leave the parenting to the television and toys in her room._

_The second her mind was set on deciding to fall asleep that night is when her phone started lighting up and ringing beside her. Checking the caller ID, she saw that it wasn't Jake's number, but before she decided to ignore the call, she felt it in her gut to answer._

"_Hello"_

"_Hi, I'm calling for a Ms. Olivia Pope"_

"_This is her" she sat up in bed, and moved to turn on the bedside light._

"_Hi, this is Harold Gooding. I'm a doctor at Duke Medical. Your daughter Madison Pope-Ballard was brought in about an hour ago after having an allergic reaction to peanuts. A Mr. Jake Ballard brought her in. I need for you to come down to the hospital ma'am."_

"_Abby!" Olivia screamed and rushed from her bed and into the redhead's room while slipping on the flip flops she'd scooped up on her way out of her room. "Abby, Maddie's in the hospital!"_

_Abby could barely understand what was happening, but the words "Maddie" and "hospital" sent her on high alert, and she quickly threw some clothes on before following Olivia out to the car._

_She had already hung up with the doctor, and was clutching the phone in her hand, patiently waiting while Abby drove towards the hospital._

"_Liv, what did she say? Is Maddie awake?"_

"_She, she went into anaphylactic shock" she brought her fingers to her mouth trying to stop her lips from trembling._

_Abby knew not to ask her anything else and just continued driving. It wouldn't take too much longer to get there, but her heart broke knowing that while she had to follow the rules of the road, she really wanted to get them there as fast as possible. Olivia needed her daughter, and it was up to her to get her there as fast as she could._

_When they pulled into the hospital, Abby pulled into a spot that was very close to the ER entrance, and they both jumped out and ran for the automatic doors. Rushing the receptionist desk, they both spoke so rapidly that the nurse could only make out the words "anaphylaxis" "Madison" and "Pope" Peering down at her clipboard, she put the pieces together and led the two distraught women behind the double doors. She didn't remember seeing the little girl being brought in, but she could instantly tell that the redhead couldn't be her mother. Although she looked as terrified as the dark headed woman, there was a degree of anger in her eyes that a mother couldn't possibly feel until they saw with their own eyes that their child was completely safe._

_Pushing the curtain back, Olivia was instantly at Madison's side. She pressed her cheek to her daughters', feeling the tape that held the tube that was in her nose, loosely to her face. She cupped the other side of her face with her right hand, and let her tears fall. She was there, right in front of her and breathing. Olivia knew that Abby had dragged Jake out of the makeshift room, and could hear her cursing him out in the hallway, but she couldn't let anything interrupt this moment. She leaned back and brought her lips to the girl's smaller ones and kissed her before doing the same to the rest of her face. Olivia leaned forward and inhaled he light brown curls that were laced with blonde streaks, loving the scent. _

_Taking her smaller hand in hers, Olivia looked behind her when she heard an unfamiliar voice._

"_I'm sorry that this happened"_

_Olivia had no clue who the woman was, and chose to ignore her. _

"_Abby" she called, and a second later the fiery redhead was there, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. _

"_Is she okay Liv?" she walked to the other side of the bed looking the little girl over. She loved Madison as if she was her own and seeing her in a hospital bed left Abby speechless and terrified. _

"_She's breathing. I need to see the doctor"_

"_I'll go find him" she kissed Madison's cheek before squeezing Olivia's hand and headed to the desks of nurses._

_Jake took cautious steps towards Olivia, and ran his hand through his disheveled hair._

"_You don't need to worry, she's gonna be fine. She has to stay for up to eight hours or so, but then she'll be good to go. If you're gonna stay, I'm gonna go home and change. I can come in a couple hours so you can get some sleep, and then we can switch off before I take her back to my place."_

_Olivia couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth and almost wish she hadn't sent Abby away._

"_You can leave Jake" she moved away from the bed and towards him. "Leave and stay the hell away from my daughter"_

"_Liv, don't be this way, she's completely fine"_

"_She's not fine!" she pushed at his chest as hard as she could repeatedly until she pushed him through the curtain. "My daughter is in the ER after her throat closed and she couldn't breathe. I don't even want to know how that happened, but it happened while she was in your care! You don't give a shit about her and you never have! If you don't leave right now, I swear you'll regret it."_

_He knew the only reason she hadn't completely unleashed both verbally and physically was because she didn't want to be far from Madison, let alone disturb her sleep. He took a step away from her, and turned to start walking away. "No matter what you want to believe, she's my daughter too. I'll be in touch." The woman that Olivia noticed before walked up to Jake, grabbed his hand, and pulled him away after sending her an apologetic look._

_It was an hour later that Abby returned to the room they had moved Madison to, with a duffle bag in hand. Opening the bag, she dug out the yellow lovey that Madison had screamed for when she woke up nearly thirty minutes prior, and brought it over to the silent pair. Olivia lay in the bed on her side with Madison cuddled as closely as she could manage. The three year old had her fingers stuffed in her mouth, her right hand even in her sleep clutched tightly to the back of Olivia's shirt and one of her small legs rested in between her mothers'. Olivia watched as Abby eased the two fingers from her mouth, and placed the soft small blanket in the girl's hands instead watching as she immediately closed her fingers around it._

_Abby could read the "thank you" in Olivia's eyes, although it wasn't necessary. She pulled up a chair and reached over to grabbed Olivia's hand; her arm gently resting on Madison's curled up body._

_She knew not to speak any words, but to just be there and hold her hand._

_Olivia closed her eyes, but the tears poured down her cheeks heavily and sobs quietly wracked her body. She didn't want to do this with Maddie there, but she couldn't hold back, and there was no way she was leaving her little girl anytime soon. _

"_What am I gonna do?" she choked out._

"_I am going to immediately draft up a new order, and we are fighting this"_

That was the hardest thing about trusting Jake with Madison; he never gave her a reason to trust him. Her symptoms had rebounded the next day, and she bawled her eyes out watching her daughter go in to anaphylactic shock in front of her.

Straightening herself up in the seat, Olivia wiped the tears that rested on her cheeks, and pushed the memories to the back of her mind. She looked in the mirror making sure that she was presentable for picking up her daughter.

"Jake, Abby will meet you at the zoo for your visitation with Madison on Saturday. She will be there at ten o'clock, and will have a packed lunch containing food that my daughter is _not_ allergic to. She will stay there and make sure Madison is kept safe and unharmed. Abby knows that your time is up at five, and will be taking her home the second the clock strikes. Madison will be tired after a few hours, so she will need to rest and have a small snack. Don't try any bullshit Jake. Abby is not only my best friend and Madison's godmother, like me, she is a momma bear and if you fuck with our cub again, you'll regret it."

She hung up the phone, rang the bell and waited to be buzzed into the school building. Once she was let in, she signed in and received her visitors pass before heading in the direction of the playground where Madison's class would be. She stepped outside and placed her hand on her forehead, creating instant shade from the sun, scanning the play area. She saw Quinn, and decided she had enough time to say hi before she needed to leave for Fitz's office.

"Good afternoon" Olivia always kept it as professional as possible if other teachers or parents were around, so she knew she'd have to really catch up another time.

"Hi, how are you?"

"I'm doing ok, not too bad. How's my girl today?" She now spotted her sliding down the tunnel slide after one of her best friends, and cackling loudly.

"She's a gem as usual. Ate the majority of her lunch, but still has a few snacks in there. She decided she was ready to lead the class songs today, so that was completely adorable. Abby said that you might be here early to get her"

"Yea, doctor's appointment to check on a few things. Did she nap with everyone else today or no?" She wasn't sure if she would or not since she came in late, but with the minimal sleep she got last night, she wanted to ask.

"No ma'am she did not. We changed up the schedule a bit today and instead of library before nap time, we had centers since they're getting the book fair ready in there."

"Mommy!"

The pair turned, and Olivia felt her heart speed up at the sound of her daughter's voice. She bent at the knees and prepared herself for the energized girl's body that was launched into her body. She wrapped her arms around her and stood up squeezing her and leaving lost kisses in her messy curls.

"Hi baby. Did you have a good day with Ms. Perkins and your friends?" There was another teacher in the room, but Madison hadn't taken so well to her, so Olivia chose to ask about her later. She nodded her head, and smiled wildly, happy to see her mother. "Well babe, we have to get going a little early, so say bye ok."

"Where we going?" she asked innocently while waving her hand absentmindedly at her teacher. All she knew was that she missed her mommy waking her up this morning, and her full attention was on her.

Olivia didn't mind carrying her back through the building and into her class to retrieve her belongings before signing her out at the front office and returning her visitors sticker. Once she was outside, she placed her on her feet before grasping her hand and walking to the car.

"Just to see a doctor. I like your outfit toots" Olivia smiled at the broad smile that lit up her face at the compliment while she buckled her in the car seat.

"Thank you mommy. Auntie said that I couldn't weared my boots from Uncle Harry, so I listened like a big girl and gots my tommy shoes" she kicked her feet for emphasis and scrunched her nose in the girlish way that she had since she was a baby.

"Auntie Abby is right. You can't _wear_ the boots to school just yet, so I'm glad that you had your listening ears on this morning. We are going to see mommy's friend that's a doctor. Do you remember who that is?"

"Fence mommy!" Olivia flinched at the name that her daughter seemed to always use.

"Can you say _Mr._ Fitz" she annunciated as much as she could.

"Mr. Fenz" she said with one eye closed and her head tilted to the side clearly proving her concentration.

Olivia laughed and just shook her head. She didn't know why she bothered. Fitz had told her on more than one occasion that it was the most adorable thing he'd ever heard, and that she would learn to say his name properly as she got older.

"So can you tell me what you did at school before you went to the playground" She pulled out of the school's driveway, and fixed the rear-view mirror wanting to see her daughter when she spoke. Olivia could read her like a book. One expression from her daughter, and she could usually tell exactly what she was feeling. She prayed that she didn't develop a poker face as she got older; she loved being able to fully understand her little girls' needs.

"Can we listen to my cd mommy?"

Olivia rolled her eyes when she saw her daughter's doe-like orbs appear bigger than before, and her lashes went batting. It was obvious from that, that she was not interested in talking about her day, but would rather listen to the mix cd Fitz had made for her a few weeks ago. He had taken her out on one of their more laid back dates- bowling- and right after she had kissed him goodnight, preparing to get in her car and drive home, he presented her with a cd labeled "Mads' Mix". Knowing that she was lost on what it was, he explained to her that he had an intern help him create a mixed list of the recent Disney movies and television shows main songs that little girls like.

_Her smile had grown significantly larger and she felt butterflies swarming in her stomach at his thoughtfulness. _

"_You didn't have to do that Fitz"_

"_I wanted to do something nice for her. She doesn't even have to know it's from me, I just love the video's you've shown me of her singing random Disney songs, so I figured she should have her own cd in the car. It's really not a big deal" he shrugged and was nearly blushing from the look Olivia was giving him. By the look on her face, it was indeed a big deal. _

"_It is a big deal. Thank you for this. She will know exactly who it's from" She leaned in and kissed him wondering if he were too good to be true._

"Babe, you can listen to the cd in a second okay? Mommy wants you to listen to her before I turn the sound on ok?" she looked back at her and continued once she saw her nodding. "We are going to go see Mr. Fitz, and he's going to give you a check-up like your old doctor used to. He's gonna take your temperature, see how much you've grown and do some other stuff to make sure you're not sick at all. Is that okay?"

She listened to her mother talk about the doctors, and when she was done Madison locked in on her eyes in the mirror. "I don't wanna shot mommy. Shots give me bad boo-boos and make the tears come fast"

Her bottom lip was completely poked out, and Olivia wanted to kiss the pout away and laugh at the same time. She was three, but she lived with herself and Abigail Whelan, making her wiser than your average three year old. She was also very dramatic at times and could use those eyes, her pouty lips, and her clever words to get away with murder.

"Baby you have nothing to worry about ok? No shots today, I promise"

Olivia knew for sure that she could keep that promise. Fitz made it perfectly clear, although it was typically a nurses job to give immunizations of any form, Fitz would sometimes have to give them to his patients. He made it clear that he would never give Madison a shot. He couldn't imagine her being terrified of him coming at her with a needle, and for his face to be the one she associated that pain with.

When they pulled up to the office and walked in, they were greeted by the receptionist- that immediately had Madison cowering behind Olivia's leg. She hated everything about the doctors, and expected as much from her little girl. She didn't sign in or anything, but scooped her up and walked towards the colorful fish that swam in the tank that spanned the left side wall. She had sent Fitz a text when she pulled in and he told her to come in and he'd be out to get her in a second. He had a patient run late, so he had just finished up and was free for them.

"Livvie"

She turned, hearing her name whispered and smiled seeing him in a pair of khaki pants and a dark blue button down shirt. She wasn't surprised that he wasn't wearing his white coat, but she knew he did it to benefit Madison. He nodded for her to come with him, and he held the door open while she walked through- Madison clutching her shoulders with her face buried in her neck.

They kept walking until they reached his office, and she took a seat on one the comfortable lounge chairs across from his desk. She eyed him carefully and watched him pull a small juice pouch out of the fridge and brought it to his desk, sitting it in front of them. He also brought over a small container with cut up strawberries inside. He was good. He knew they were her favorite and figured a good snack would help calm her nerve.

"Hi Madison, I brought you a snack…. It's something you really like. Mommy said it's your favorite"

Peeking from the safety of Olivia's neck, Madison looked down at Fitz who was crouched in front of them, and met his eyes. "Do you have Strawberries and Juicy?

Olivia smiled at him, knowing he had just won her over.

"I surely do. It's the purple juicy that you like" he held his hands out, and watched her look at her mother, silently asking if it was ok. When she nodded, she leaned sideways out of her mother's lap, and let Fitz scoop her up in his arms.

"Hi Mads" he said softly, hugging her close to him. He loved the feeling. He had only held her a couple of times, and didn't understand how Jake could be so careless with her, let alone how he could let the both of them go.  
"Hi Fence" she smiled at him, and he was putty in her hands.

He smiled back at her, unable to take his eyes off of her. When he finally did turn to look at Olivia, he laughed when he saw the tears in her eyes, refusing to allow them to build in his own.

"Alright, so this is going to be a little unconventional, but I say let's get this check-up started. Since I know a lot of the answers, how about we just go through some of the normal questions? First things first, "he said standing from the chair with Madison still in his arms. She giggled when he suddenly lifted her, and held tightly, squeezing the strawberry that was in her hand, and making juice run down her arm to Fitz's shirt. Placing the container he had been holding for her on his desk, he pulled up her chart on his computer before looking up at Olivia. "let's set her up an appointment for a day next week once we're back, and Lauren is working, so she can get her flu s-h-o-t." he spelled out the word, not wanting to frighten the little girl and ruin the great mood she was in. "Lauren is a great nurse and all of the kids especially take well to her. That is if you still want her to have one- I highly recommend it, especially with her asthma."

Olivia nodded her head, and grimaced at the stain that continued to grow on his shirt from Madison's sudden fascination with the squished fruit. "Definitely still want her to have one, so next week is fine, just not Monday or Tuesday- I have parent teacher conferences and can't cut out early. Although I should make Abby bring her in so I won't have to witness it. Madison Olivia, do not squish your fruit please, you're getting the both of you so messy" she walked towards them with a few wipes in her hand before cleaning them both up. She smiled shyly at the stain that was still on his shirt, and he shrugged it off knowing he had another around there somewhere. Messes came with the job.

"Alright" he said loudly punching a few keys causing Madison to laugh and throw her head back to look up at him. "Alright, I'm gonna grab this chart and we can start" he tried to juggle Madison, the small container, and his clipboard over to sit back across from Olivia when he noticed her shaking his head at her.

"Alright Super-Man, hand her over. I'll hold the munchkin, and you ask the questions. And trust me, I'm doing you a favor- she did not have a nap today, and I'm expecting a meltdown pretty soon."

He shook his head, but agreed and didn't put up a fight when Olivia lifted her from his arms. He watched her wipe down her hands, arms and mouth before sealing the container shut and then proceeded to take her shoes off. "How about we get her weight and height first, because I'm think she'll fall asleep pretty soon."

If there was one thing to know about Madison Olivia, it's that she could fall asleep anywhere. Olivia hadn't found a time that she considered it a curse; so far it had only served her well. Olivia figured since she was always on the go with Madison when she was an infant, that the girl just learned to not be picky over where she slept, rather she adapted to any environment. If she were tired, she would sleep; easy as that. Olivia did hate admitting that she was the cause of this. Madison didn't deserve to be carted around so much when she was so young, but living life basically as a single mother with a mentally unstable fiancé left her no other choice. Where she went, her baby went. End of story.

After they got her weight and height, Fitz asked Olivia different questions, some of which she would coax the little girl into showing him as proof. He had gotten through about a quarter of the questions when he noticed Madison's eyes become heavy, and then close altogether. Olivia knew the second she was asleep from the way she immediately felt heavier in her arms. She continued to rock side to side in the chair and only stopped after a couple more seconds knowing that she was deep sleeping.

"You're so good with her Livvie" he whispered in amazement. He loved every moment he was able to witness the two of them together.

"I don't always feel like I am, but I know I have to be. She deserves my very best."

It didn't take long for Fitz to get through the rest of the questions before determining that Madison was developing well and met specific chart placements in the areas he would be most concerned about. He did encourage her to start her on two Pedisure's a day until her eating habits and weight progressed a little more. He remembered Olivia telling him how after the incident at Jakes a month ago, the little girl became even more of a picky eater. If she didn't recognize it, she wouldn't eat it. She was slowly coming around and letting Olivia feed her new things but it had definitely taken a toll on her eating habits, therefore jeopardizing her nutrition.

Placing the chart in the correct file folder once he updated the information on his computer, Fitz brought his lap top over and moved his chair closer to Olivia's. She smiled seeing the hotel's reservations on one page, and watched him open a new link to start the purchasing of their plane tickets.

"I didn't know you wanted to fly there. Fitz, that'll be so expensive, you don't have to go through all that trouble for me"

"No, but I do have to go through every kind of trouble with the sacrifice you're making this weekend. I know it's the first visit that Mads will have with her father since the incident, and I want to make sure that if ANYTHING goes wrong, we are no longer than an hour and twenty seven minutes away from her. I would never forgive myself either way if we were driving the nearly eight hour trip and traffic is what was keeping you away from her. I don't have any kids, so I don't know how it feels, but I think I understand even an ounce of what this little one means to you. So I'll start looking for tickets, and you let me know about the plans you've made because I know you Livvie; you always have a plan."

She laughed before playing bumping his shoulder, then stole a quick kiss from the corner of his mouth.

"So I talked with Abby, and she's on duty ready to be there…."

Friday evening came before they knew it, and Olivia had enjoyed letting Maddie play hookie and spend the day together. She still had plenty sick days available to her and four more personal days that she was able to use so she took advantage of one that day. She usually saved them just in case something came up with Madison, and this was one of those times. She had planned to spend the morning and afternoon with her little girl before Fitz picked her up for their six-thirty flight; that way Abby could get any work done she might have wanted to before the weekend since she would have her hands full with Maddie. She had been done for about an hour and was preparing for her and Madison's sleepover snacks for when they watched a movie.

"Mommy, the shark is gonna eat your piggies now" Madison exclaimed in a loud, squeaky voice that Olivia swore could wake their neighbors. The both of their curls laid wet against their backs with bubbles in most of Maddie's as they played in the large garden tub at home. As much as the three year old loved taking showers with her mommy like a "big girl", her favorite was taking a bubble bath with her mommy. It was only just after four, but Olivia wanted to have some part of her bedtime routine, so she decided they could do one of her favorite things; take a bubble bath with the bath paints and all.

"Not if I eat the shark first!" Olivia brought the rubber sea creature out of the bubbles and pretended to bite it at every angle, sending her daughter into a fit of giggles. "Alright toots, you sit tight, mommy's gonna rinse her hair, then get you out ok" she stared directly into her eyes like she always did when she gave her directions while in the bath tub. "Mommy wants you to sit and play but do NOT go under the water ok?" She reached for her robe before covering herself and making her way to the shower and turned it on. Once the water was the right temperature, she glanced back at Madison who was watching her intently, before tilting her head in and quickly ridding her thick curls of the few bubbles she knew remained. Seconds later, she turned the water off and rung her hair dry before straightening her back and grabbing the small towel to dry her hair. When the dampness left her satisfied, she went back over to the shower and turned it back on. "Let the water out baby, and let's get you rinsed off too"

She lifted her small body from the tub and placed her under the shower spray, ridding the bubbles of her hair and body. When she was all done, she wrapped her in a fluffy towel and watched her skip off into their bedroom. It didn't take her long to put on her traveling clothes- a pair of comfortable leggings, her favorite "Messy Hair Don't Care" blue shirt and her Ugg boots. While Madison jumped around on the bed- no doubt noticing that her mother was distracted leaving her free to do so- Olivia put some oil on her hands before running her fingers through her damp curls, then put the remainder from her hands in Madison's hair. She got more coconut oil and lathered Maddie in it before letting her pick out the purple onesie to sleep in. She sat Madison on her lap, and ran a comb through her hair, doing most of the work so that Abby wouldn't have too much trouble in the morning.

"So do you remember what we talked about this morning baby? Where's mommy going today?"

She looked up at her mom before she started "You going bye-bye with Fence on a plane! And me go with you mommy"

"No baby, you're going to stay here with Auntie Abby and have a sleepover in her bed!" her voice was high-pitched and her expression could put anyone in a sugar coma, but if it helped reassure her girl, then it was worth it. "And tomorrow you're going to go to the Zoo with Auntie, and daddy with be there too"

Her head went down at that, and she shook her head in protest. "I don't wanna see daddy at the zoo" Olivia hated this part- lying to her daughter to "make things better" as the social worker had put it.

"Listen baby, Auntie Abby will be with you the whole time, and you won't have to be alone with daddy ok? You can say hi to daddy, but then you can hold Auntie's hand, and talk to Auntie too, okay? Auntie will feed you lunch; you're gonna have a sandwich, some strawberries, and carrots, and she will bring you a juicy and some veggie sticks"

"That's yummy mommy"

"Yes, so yummy for you baby girl. So you're gonna have so much fun with Auntie tomorrow, and mommy's gonna call you on her phone and say hi to you on a video too."

"I make a video too?"

"Yes, you can make a video with Auntie"

"Alright short-stuff you ready for our sleepover? A certain lover-boy has mommy's phone going text crazy" Abby walked into the room with the Frozen movie dangling in front of her. Liv's rule was that she could only watch it on Friday nights, but with her not really understanding the days of the week, she was always surprised when she realized it was "Frozen Day"

"Sleepover time!" she jumped from Olivia's lap and latched herself onto Abby's leg.

"Hey, get over here and give me some kisses and cuddles first curly" Olivia squinted her eyes playfully at her knowing she would miss her like crazy.

She untangled herself from Abby and forced her lips onto her mothers, making Olivia lose her balance and fall back against the mattress with Maddie landing on top of her. She wrapped her arms tightly around her, and held her for a minute, willing the tears to go away, but knowing there was no use.

"You be a big girl okay? And be good for your Auntie. Mommy loves you baby" she whispered into her ear, holding her a little tighter.

"I will… mommy you're squishing my insides of me" she giggled; the sound loud and precious in Olivia's ears.

She kissed her one last time before letting her escape and run into Abby's room. Standing up, she grabbed the handle to her suit case, her carry-on Prada bag, and moved towards the door with Abby following behind her.

"You're going to have so much fun Liv, trust me, you deserve this getaway"

"It's not me I'm worried about Abs" she wiped the few tears that managed to escape her eyes and land on her cheek.

"Hey" she didn't continue until she had her full attention. "Over a cliff Liv. Over a fucking cliff. You have NOTHING to worry about. With my life Liv"

That was all she needed to hear before she pulled Abby into a hug and walked out the door. Even if she wanted to break down, she couldn't because standing against a taxi door was Fitz looking severely handsome with a goofy grin on his face like he'd just won the lottery.

"I figured we'd get an early start on exploring New York" he said gesturing to the taxi. Grabbing her bag, he loaded it in the trunk before turning back to her. He saw her shoot a lingering look back at the door she'd just come out of, and he took a step closer to her and held out his hand.

"You ready for this baby?"

Looking at him, seeing the look in his eyes, and instantly knowing that she was looking at her future, she gripped his hand with confidence.

"I'm ready"

**Thank you for reading. **


	3. Chapter 2

_I feel we're close enough_

_I wanna lock in your love_

_I think we're close enough_

_Could I love in your love, baby?_

_Now I got you in my space_

_I won't let go of you_

_Got you shackled in my embrace_

_I'm latching on to you_

The grand lobby presented itself just as the pictures did; expensive and exquisite. The dark red against the gold and layered look of the walls only had Olivia more excited to see the inside of their room. She stood next to Fitz, her fingers intertwined with his, while he waited for the receptionist to finish checking them in and hand over the keys to their room. It was minutes later that she held both keys in her hand while they walked towards the elevator, both pulling their suitcases behind them.

Stepping into the elevator, Fitz pressed the button to the ninth floor before stepping back and pulling Olivia into his arms. He wrapped his hands around her waist, and hers went under his arms, and grip his shoulders.

"Only the ninth floor?" she asked lifting an eyebrow.  
"Well I know you don't do heights to well" he teased right back.

"Ugh" she groaned shoving him back into the wall. She glanced at the illuminating lights, signaling that they were nearing their floor. "You think you're so funny Fitzgerald. I am _not_ afraid of heights. That was one time that I freaked out about being on the twenty-third floor of a building and I told you that not expecting to be teased about it." She leaned up and pressed her lips softly to his. "Be nice to me"

He forced his lips back to hers, ignoring the opening doors. "I'm going to be nice to you all weekend long baby" The whispers against her lips, made her entire body heat up.

Olivia was the one that stepped away from his embrace and pulled him out of the elevator with her free hand. She glanced down at the key's and stopped only a few doors down before opening the door.

"Welcome to our weekend Livvie" Fitz gestured for her to go ahead of him, and smiled taking in the look of excitement on her face.

When she entered the Grand Deluxe Guestroom, Olivia's jaw dropped at the large gorgeous room before her. The first thing most hotel rooms had when you walked in was a view of the bed, however their room led directly to a small sitting area consisting of an ivory colored couch, with matching love seat sitting adjacent to a flat screen television. She wasn't sure who would be in a city this incredible and a room this beautiful and simply watch tv, but she wasn't complaining. Leaving Fitz standing by the couch she walked into the luxurious bathroom lined with granite countertops and large mirrors spanning the walls. Her favorite thing instantly became the rain shower that sat rectangular-shaped on the ceiling of the large shower. She couldn't wait to make use of it. Walking back towards Fitz, she found him sitting on the edge of the King sized bed that was lavished in ivory and dark blue patterns with too many pillows that would later be stashed on the floor. She stood in between his open legs, and welcomed his strong hands that rested at their favorite spot on her hips as hers cupped his face and smothered his face in loud, sporadic kisses.

"Babe"- Kiss- "this"–Kiss- "is so"-Kiss- "amazing" –Kiss-She stopped with the quick pecks, and kissed him deeply, thoroughly tasting every contour of his mouth. She ran her fingers through his hair when he pulled her on top of him. She sat straddling his lap, and finally tore her mouth away from his, trying to catch her breath. She looked at him through her dark lashes and noticed the look in his eyes; that look mirrored her own, but she knew they had to stop.

Fitz brought his hand up to cup her face, and ran his thumb across her bottom lip, shifting her in his lap when she kissed it a few times, giving him _that_ look. "Now, beautiful, I believe I promised you dinner once we got here" She nodded her head, and leaned back to glance at the clock on the nightstand behind him.

"It's almost eight-thirty. We could just order room service tonight?" she knew he had a long day at the office, and didn't want to make him drag the two of them around town just to come back and sleep.

"Livvie, we are not going to waste a second inside while we're here"

"Well if I have any say in it, we will most definitely be spending some alone time all throughout this hotel room" she whispered against his ear, and grinded her hips into his to prove her point. "How about tonight we just go to one of the restaurants downstairs. It's open till ten, and I peeked at the menu while you were checking us in. Besides even if you want to lie and say you didn't have a long day, Madison for sure wore me out, and I'm really just looking forward to falling asleep in your arms, so the sooner we can eat some dinner, the sooner that can happen."

"You drive a hard bargain Ms. Pope, but you win" he slapped his hands against her ass, laughing when she yelped. "Let's get out of here"

The next morning, Olivia found herself stirring at the soft touches on her legs as she lay on her side. The last thing she could recall was falling asleep in Fitz's arms after the cool breeze and his hand rubbing her back relaxed her completely. His voice had also played a role in the peaceful sleep she was able to succumb to. Finally opening her eyes, Olivia happily caught Fitz as the culprit, slowly moving up her body, stopping every other second to drop a kiss to any exposed skin he could find.

After dinner in one of the hotels' two restaurants, Fitz had a bottle of wine brought up to their room, and the two of them enjoyed the sweet red on the terrace overlooking the busy city. It was the simplicity of him pulling her on his lap and holding her against his chest that made what they had matter. He would do his best to give her the world, but he knew she didn't need it. It was much colder in New York than back home, and although the wine warmed her up a bit, Fitz had her wrapped in the throw blanket they'd brought out from the couch in their room. Between the exhaustion, the wine, his arms, and the cool breeze in the air, Olivia could barely keep her eyes open, and before he could fall asleep as well, Fitz carried her to their bed and turned in for the night.

"Hi" he kissed the curve of her breast, then her chin, before his final kiss landed on her lips.

"Hi…. What time is it" she hoped he hadn't let her sleep in too late. Their flight left Sunday evening at seven-thirty, and she wanted to soak up as much time with Fitz in New York that she could possibly manage.

"It's barely eight… you ummm, you were up a few hours ago. Well you were restless, and only halfway conscious, and you called out for Maddie a few times"

"oh gosh, I'm sorry Fitz, I probably woke you up and.."

"No, no, Livvie, you're fine, and it barely took seconds to calm you down. I just hate that you have to worry about her and I know today is hard for you to not be back home."

She pushed herself up on her elbows, and sat so that they were at eye level then kissed him chastely.  
"Thank you for always taking care of me. And I want to be here, so don't feel bad. Even if I was home, I would still have to let Abby go with her and just sit there waiting. I'm glad we're here together celebrating." She moved pass him to get off the bed and started digging into her suitcase and pulling out her clothes for the day. "I promised Maddie that I would video chat with her before she starts her day, but I'll make it quick, and I can take a quick shower, and be ready to go in an hour."

He followed her movements, grabbing his clothes as well, and then made his way to the sink and brushed his teeth. When he was done, he walked towards where she was sitting at the small desk in the corner of the room, powering up her IPad. "No, don't rush. Give Maddie as much time as you guy's need" Standing behind her, he bent down to place wet kisses on her exposed neck. "But Livvie, you can just freshen up because there's absolutely no way you're using that shower without me joining you."

Her skin was instantly hot from his soft kisses, but she felt the longing ache between her legs at her words, and it took everything in her to ignore the urge. It had been far too long. She turned, expecting to gain a little release from his lips, but saw him sauntering away for a few steps before he turned back to look at her. Olivia shook her head, coercing her body temperature to recede.

After eating breakfast at Piccolo Café, Fitz surprised Olivia and they caught a taxi a ways away to the _Queens County Farm Museum Apple Festival_. Olivia loved apple cider, and he knew that she would love actually making her own, and picking out some of the freshest apples the city had to offer. They indulged in an early dessert when Olivia insisted on tasting the Apple Cobbler that was baked fresh on a wood burning stove.

"Maddie would love this place" Fitz said as they made their way back towards the line of taxis. He knew she wouldn't eat too many of the apples, but she would love to make the cider and indulge in the pie just like her mother.

"She really would" she smiled at him, loving every moment he thought of her daughter. It wasn't even his job, yet he dotted on her every chance he got.

Fitz knew he had to take Olivia to Central Park- it was one of her favorite places that she'd never really gotten the chance to enjoy. She'd briefly been there when she'd gotten Harrison settled in New York, but Fitz knew she wanted to be there and actually take in the meaning of the place. To her, Central Park represented a place that people jogged, took breaks, had moments of peace, experienced heartaches, laughed, hung out, and created memories either with loved ones or alone. She wanted to experience some of those feelings and with Fitz. She knew that she could experience so much more with him by her side. She wanted to experience being in love with him- just being themselves- in Central Park. And she wanted him to know that.

It was just after two when they finally arrived, and started their stroll through the park. On their walk over, Fitz had bought a thin, fleece blanket for them to use from a street vendor, and had it flung over his shoulder until they found the perfect spot to relax. They got a few stares from people, and Fitz knew it had more to do with Olivia's beautiful, child-like expression as she nearly skipped through the park steps ahead of him.

"Babe, this place is just magical!" she walked back towards him, and laced her fingers with his, pulling him to stand with her on a small bridge. She went to one of the rails that overlooked a small man-made creek and sighed when she felt him fill the space behind her, and wrap his arms completely around her waist. His chin rested on her shoulder, his right cheek pressed against her left one and they both released a deep breath, allowing themselves to be only in that moment with each other.

"Did I ever tell you that my parents were from New York?"

He almost didn't hear her, she spoke so low. She didn't talk about her parents a lot, and he knew it had to do with the hurt she still felt from losing them. He held her as tightly as he could without hurting her, and waited for her to continue.

"My mom jogged every evening here although she didn't live close, and every evening my dad would see her jogging when he got off work. She told me that she always knew he was watching her, but made him work for it" she laughed thinking of her mother's slick ways and glanced at Fitz. "The first time she ever talked to him was because she had slipped on some ice while jogging one winter, and he helped her walk over to a bench to see if she were ok. It had been three months since he'd first seen her running, and they had never spoken but he knew he would spend the rest of his life with her. He was so sure of himself."

He didn't need to see her eyes to know there were tears present; he could hear it in her voice. Fitz kissed her cheek, unwrapped his right arm from her waist and laced it with her right hand. "Sounds like your father was a very smart man, and I know he and your mom would be so proud of both you and Harrison. You're incredible Livvie, don't you ever forget or doubt that."

"I love you Fitz"

Fitz immediately held his breath, praying that he hadn't imagined those words leaving her lips, but that she had really said them. He took a step back from her, and she turned around, her watery eyes meeting his wide ones. She smiled at him and brought her hands to his face, suddenly not being afraid anymore.

"My mother had no fear in that moment and fell in love with him immediately. He told her in that very moment that he wanted everything with her and that if she let him, he'd spend his life proving he deserved her. Fitz, I can't… I can't say that I wish I would have waited for you, because I wouldn't have Madison, and she's everything to me. But if you'll let me, I promise to spend every waking moment proving to you that I'm worth it, that me and Madison are worth the roller coaster ride you'll be getting yourself into if you want to be in this with us. Jake won't make things easy, but I love you Fitz, and I want to be with you for as long as you'll let me.

Not being able to formulate a rational thought, Fitz seized her lips in a deep kiss. His tongue sought after hers with vigor, making her arms grip his shoulders to hold herself up as her knees trembled from their kiss. His hands left her hair, and went to wrap around her waist, one gliding over her ass and she yelped into his mouth when he squeezed her left cheek. She finally pulled away when she absolutely had to breathe and placed her hands on his chest, creating a barrier to ensure she wouldn't dive back in prematurely. Her heart was telling to her keep going and to push through but her mind was screaming at her to catch her breath and slow her breathing down.

"Livvie, I love you so much, and I want to spend the rest of MY life proving that I'll always be there for you and for Madison and love and treat her like she's my own. You two mean the world to me, you really do. Jake can pull any mess he wants, I won't back off. I'm in this Livvie, for the long haul."

"We're in this together?" she looked up at him, her smile reaching her eyes.

He leaned in closer, speaking with his lips brushing against hers with every word "We are in this together"

"Take me back to the room"

He didn't expect her to say that, but welcomed those words.

The second the door to their room closed, Fitz was on her. He needed her. To kiss her, touch her, and love her. Olivia whimpered, leaning into his body, wrapping her arms around his neck. They were both trembling now, the power of those three little words Olivia confessed again on the ride back, piercing Fitz's heart, causing tears to form in his eyes while they embraced and whispered promises of the future to each other. The new connection between them was so emotional it was overwhelming. They continued to kiss fiercely, passionately, yet tenderly removing any piece of clothing they could get a hold of. Fitz held her face in his hands the way he always did, nipping at her lips, loving them with his tongue, making their kisses all the more romantic.

"Make love to me Fitz," Olivia rasped breathlessly against his mouth.

She pulled him into another hot kiss, seeking out his tongue with hers and seductively sucked it into her mouth, adding just enough pressure to send blood boiling to both of their loins. Fitz moaned at the contact, dipping down to pull her even tighter against him. "Make love to me," she repeated one more time as she gazed up at him with beautiful, doe brown eyes. Her full pouty lips were flushed and swollen with his kisses and her breathing was coming out in short gasps. She moved away from him, and removed her bra and panties while staring at him with every move she made.

_I've waited a hundred years  
But I'd wait a million more for you  
Nothing prepared me for  
What the privilege of being yours would do  
_

Without another word, he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, and laid her down, covering her body with his. Their lips met and Fitz kissed her sweetly, tenderly, showing her second by second how much he loved her. They lost themselves in their kisses, the love they felt for one another surrounding them like a blanket. Fitz gazed down at her nude body, his eyes awash with love and desire. Olivia simply gazed up at him, suddenly shyunder his gaze, but knowing how much he wanted her.

_If I had only felt the warmth within your touch  
If I had only seen how you smile when you blush  
Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough  
Well I would have known  
What I was living for all along  
What I've been living for_

Fitz's hand slowly went down her body, caressing her neck, shoulders, and breasts. He stopped when he reached her flat stomach, a place she'd carried her beautiful little girl, and he hoped and prayed one day she'd be able to carry babies of theirs. He placed several tender, warm kisses there before he sucked softly on her belly button, causing her to let out a soft moan. Olivia let out a sharp cry of pleasure as Fitz's head continued lower and finally made its' way between her thighs.

_Your love is my turning page  
Where only the sweetest words remain  
Every kiss is a cursive line  
Every touch is a redefining phrase_

Every thought left her head. Her mind was stunningly clear as Fitz's mouth made love to her femininity. Her hands dove into his hair; she lifted herself up, her moans of desire growing louder and louder by the moment. Her head fell back; she felt dizzy and needed to close her eyes because the room was spinning about her and she felt as if she were floating. All she felt was Fitz's mouth and the incredible things it was doing to her. She sensed herself going higher and higher, climbing farther still, into the great abyss. Fitz was sending her soaring; one flick of his tongue, the corkscrew digit of a finger, and he sent Olivia into orgasmic overload. Her toes curled, her back arched, her breasts quivered and she let out a loud cry of desire as she collapsed onto the bed, her darkhair floating about behind her. All thoughts of doubt and shyness were millions of miles from her brain. All she felt was immense pleasure, a glow of warmth that surrounded her body.

_I surrender who I've been for who you are  
For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart  
If I had only felt how it feels to be yours  
Well I would have known  
What I've been living for all along  
What I've been living for_

Her chest was heaving, her eyelids heavy. She looked down at Fitz just as he peeked his sexy blue/grey eyes up at her. He was grinning from ear to ear, remnants of her essence shinning on his lips. The look of pure joy on face was contagious and soon she was grinning too. She reached for him, pulling him up until they were face to face. Fitz felt her heart beat pounding furiously against his. Her forehead was shiny with a fresh sheen of sweet, her eyelashes spiky from the tears she had shed, her cheeks even seemed rosy. She looked like a woman who had just been made love to. Her eyes were wild with sensuality and full of love for him. Fitz cradled her face in his hands and brought his open mouth to hers, causing her to moan loudly. She immediately tasted herself on his lips and she was reminded of just how much she craved his touch when she felt his hard, full shaft probing at the entrance to her womb. Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist, clutching his forearms as she gazed purposely in his face. "Love me," she rasped before kissing him again. As the kiss deepened and his tongue slid further into her mouth, Olivia felt him sink into her completely, her velvety smooth canal sheathing his turgid length like a glove.

_Though we're tethered to the story we must tell  
When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well  
With a whisper we will tame the vicious seas  
Like a feather bringing kingdoms to their knees_

Fitz moaned, blinking, his eyes becoming wide with pleasure as he pulled his lips away from hers. He panted, fighting for air as he got used to her warmth. She had her arms wrapped around his head now, pulling it down to hers. She wanted to feel every single inch of his body on hers. She rubbed herself against him, wiggling her hips, tightening their hold on one another. Fitz groaned again, burying his face in her sweet smelling neck.

God, how he loved her.

He felt nothing else but the pleasure of loving her, the joy that her loving brought him and the satisfaction of sharing it together. Fitz moved his hands along her smooth, satiny arms until he found her hands and he laced their fingers together. He slowly pivoted his pelvis down, sinking himself as deeply into her as he could. He stared into her face, his eyes locking with hers, never wavering. She met his downward thrust with an upward thrust of her own. The pleasure of the contact sent intense waves of passion through both of their bodies. Their mouths fused in a hungry kiss as their lower halves fused in a sexy dance of rhythmic pleasure. Fitz untwined one of his hands from hers to frame her face. She whimpered at the tenderness of his touch and leaned into his hand even as his hips worked over time pumping into hers. "I love you," Fitz rasped breathlessly against her mouth.

_Nothing prepared me for__  
__What the privilege of being yours would do_

Suddenly, he pulled back, nearly sliding himself completely out of her. Then, without warning, he returned, slicing into her, causing her to cry out in surprised, pleasurable delight. She cried out his name, pulled his head down to hers and kissed him passionately, trying so desperately to hold on even as his powerful hips swirled her into madness over and over again. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as her orgasm hit her, so powerful she felt herself close to blacking out. Her entire body tingled, her nipples hardened to near spikes and warmth settled over her, leaving her glowing.

_If I had only felt the warmth within your touch__  
__If I had only seen how you smile when you blush__  
__Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough_

Fitz felt her body tightening on his like a vise and he fought valiantly to push through it. He wasn't ready to give in yet; he wasn't ready to end the sexual rapture that they were both experiencing. He felt her go weak beneath him and knew that she had just had a monumental orgasm, she was making the little sounds in her throat that she did when she had just been sexually drained. But soon she was back at it with him, moving her hips in tune to his, grinding them, rolling, and then stopping as he did to slow it back up. She bit her lip intently as she stared into his eyes, determined to bring him off as powerfully as he had her. She was bucking her hips up at him and it was weakening his resolve. He felt the familiar burn in his balls and sped up, squeezing Olivia's hand firmly as he pumped several more times before letting out a low groan and unleashing himself within her. He slumped tiredly on her breast, his curls damp with sweat, his breathing harsh and loud. She felt his heart pounding in his chest and reached down to stroke his hair. She knew he needed a few moments to recover - shit, they both did after that.

_Well I would have known__  
__What I was living for all along__  
__What I've been living for_

And as Olivia gazed down at her man's sated form, she felt a smile creep to her lips that was soon accompanied by more tears. Fitz heard her sniffle before he felt the tear drop and he lifted his head up to look at her. When he saw the tears falling down her cheeks, his face fell and his heart shattered into a million pieces. He knew he shouldn't have been so rough with her, but she had felt so good. He pulled out of her, and got off of her.

When Olivia saw his face, she shook her head, reaching for him.

"No, no, no." Her voice was hoarse from all the moaning she had done. She took his chin in her hands and forced him to look at her. His eyes were full of regret and apologies on the tip of his tongue. "I love you," Olivia whispered, her voice breaking. "Thank you so much for loving me so perfectly." She crawled into his lap, wrapping both her arms and legs around him. "I promise, I'm wonderful... everything about that was wonderful"

Fitz kissed her nose, smiling. "It was pretty great, wasn't it?" His hand was stroking her bare back and the ends of her hair.

"Everything's always great with you," Olivia whispered as she buried her face in his neck.

Olivia opened her eyes and found herself disoriented, and unsure of what was going on. Lifting into a sitting position, she realized that she was on pile of blankets and pillows covering the hotel room's floor in front of the small artificial fireplace. Once she got her bearings, she blushed as the memories flooded through her mind.

She reached for her hair, and noticed that it was still somewhat damp, giving her an idea of how long she had been asleep for. They stayed in bed talking for a while longer, unable to stop the caresses that turned into heavy petting. The heat between them reached a new level and before they could make sense of what was happening, Fitz stood under the rain shower with Olivia wrapped completely around him as he entered her. He had made up his mind from the moment he saw that shower that he would worship her body under the waterfall for as long as she would let him.

Using the bed to help her stand, Olivia smiled at seeing Fitz at the vanity dressed in a black suit, looking every bit of sexy and captivating. She sauntered up to him, and wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his back feeling the strong muscles lying beneath his clothes.

"Was it that bad, that you plan on sneaking out on a girl" she said laughing. Her hands ran up his abs, and she had to remind herself that she couldn't take much more of him just yet.

Turning around, he pecked her lips not being able to help himself, then fingered the edges of her curly hair. "You beautiful, have a date tonight, with me and I will be knocking on the door in exactly one hour, so you need to get yourself ready"

"Wait" she said looking around. "What time is it, what about the tickets for the show? Oh no, did we miss the show? You should've woken me up" she hated that the tickets he had gotten them went to waste. Judging by the time on the clock in the room, there was no way they could make it on time.

"Livvie, baby, it's fine. Today was perfect, and there's nothing I would change about it. Now, it's only seven, so I will be back in about fifty-eight minutes, so you get ready, and I will be here to pick you up- at this door- at eight sharp. Get ready for dinner baby, and I'll see you soon. I love you"

"I love you too baby" she kissed him quickly and watched him leave their hotel room before she rushed around the room to get ready. She knew that _he knew_ there was no way she could straighten her hair and get dressed in the time he gave her, so she'd be wearing her natural curls that he loved so much. It didn't take her long to lather up some oil and mousse and tame the mess of curls into a presentable style to go along with the yellow dress she brought specifically for this evening out. It was the one night her and Fitz would lavishly dress up and she was pretty excited to go out with the both of them dressed to the nines.

When Fitz said eight sharp, he meant it. The knock on the door was quiet, and he carried two large "First Love" ivory Gardenia flowers. She'd told him months ago that it was her favorite flower simply because of its name and how they only bloomed twice a year, making them rare. "I say Maddie's my one bloom I can always count on" she expected him to laugh at her when she first said that, but he just stared at her, and nodded his head as if he understood. She had no clue how he could have gotten the flower, because they weren't in season, but she stopped being surprised when it came to him doing things for her.

The limo that waited for them outside of the hotel had Olivia squeezing his arm and kissing him hard on the mouth, only stopping when their driver cleared his throat and reminded them about their reservations. Olivia stayed hooked to his side on the short ride to _Le Bernardin_, and they enjoyed the lavish French restaurant. The servings were small, pricey, but filled with flavor that made Fitz proud of the choice to dine there. Getting their dessert to go, he paid the bill and they took the limo back to the hotel.

Fitz was a bright man. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of Olivia, and he was pleased to see she felt the same way. They kept a safe distance from one another during the ride but once again, when the hotel door was closed, they were in their own world.

Olivia nor Fitz cared about sleeping in late the next morning. They were both completely satiated and didn't feel the need to rush the remainder of their time together in New York. Their late start just meant that today would be very lax and they would spend time together in the room after their quick outing to FAO Schwartz. Fitz made it clear that he wanted to pick out a few things for Madison and Liv knew she couldn't deny him a chance to buy her little girl anything.

The first thing he chose was a Junior Doctor Play Kit. It came with a doctor's coat, stethoscope, thermometer, bandages, forceps, and more supplies that he knew she would love pretending with. Liv agreed that she would indeed love it, and pushed the cart alongside him when he moved further back into the store. Olivia looked perplexed when he stopped in front of a certain display they had set up near the pretend play section of the store. It wasn't lost on her that they'd made their way back towards the more expensive toys, and she had a debate going on in her mind on whether or not she should speak up about it.

"Do you think she will be afraid of these?" he pointed to the Melissa &amp; Doug Wooden Puppet Theater that was brightly colored with a chalkboard bottom and puppets hanging out of the curtains.

"Umm, well I… no, she wouldn't be afraid of it, Maddie loves puppets, but Fitz we don't really have the space for this right now, and she doesn't _need_ a puppet theater." She didn't want to deny him, but she also wouldn't let him just throw his money away on something that Madison didn't need. She had plenty of toys that took up most of their home, and although Abby was the supplier of most of the gifts, Olivia didn't feel the need to consume the little "adult space" they had with something that wasn't needed.

"Actually I thought it could stay at my place. I want her to have some toys to be able to play with when you guys come over."

He was almost too perfect at times, Olivia thought. One thing they talked about the day before was how Olivia felt it was due time that they started spending some real family time together, including Madison coming over to Fitz's apartment- something that had never happened before. When she brought up the idea, he was ecstatic and had already started a list of things he wanted to have done before their first official visit.

"Fitz, you don't have to do that"

"Livvie, I want to. I want Maddie to know that when you guys come over, that she has things there for her to play with, and that she will have free reign over it. I don't want you carting toys back and forth constantly. Please just let me do this. I want to do something nice for her."

Even without his seeing his bottom lip that was slightly protruding, or his eyes opened just a little wider than normal, Olivia knew she couldn't say no.

"Get the damn thing" she muttered before kissing his lips and moving past him towards the stuffed animals. She knew the one thing she'd bring back her little girl; something that would make her day Madison had a tiny obsession with turtles, and although Olivia wasn't too fond of the animal, she found herself looking for different versions of the sea creature everywhere she went. Olivia turned back to place the green plush turtle backpack in the cart Fitz had when she found him about ten feet away with a sales clerk with a scanner in his hand. It was the type of scanner people used when they were registering for something, and Olivia knew that just meant trouble.

"Fitz, I think I'm ready babe." She tried her best to ignore the slip ofpaper the young man handed to Fitz once it was done printing from the scanner he held.

"Thank you sir, just take this to the front, and it will all go out for shipping first thing tomorrow morning" he nodded and walked away, proud of the sale he'd just made.

Olivia glanced away, avoiding looking at the receipt, wanting to respect his decisions.

"Livvie, I don't mind if you look at what I got. Madison is your daughter, and you have every right to see what I got for her. I just really want you to be ok with me getting her things. I know I'll have to give myself a limit eventually, but I would love it if you'd just let me spoil her just a little bit." He took a step closer to her, and she could read the distress in his gaze that wouldn't meet her eyes directly. She moved her hand to his cheek and guided him to look in her direction, knowing that once he locked in on her eyes, he wouldn't be able to look away without spilling what was on his mind.

"I know she's not my daughter….. and I know that Jake is technically still around, I just…." He took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts before speaking again. "She's not close enough with me yet for me to spoil her affectionately like a father should, so just let me have this way for now please. I don't want to buy her love, I just want to give her the world in any way possible. Jake should be showering Maddie with affection in every way possible, and he's not. If you'll let me, I'd love to be the father figure she deserves. I don't need a label from her, I'm content with just being _Fence_ right now, I just want to know for myself that one day I really can call her mine."

Olivia didn't try to brush away the tears that fell onto her cheeks at his confession. There was something about the vulnerability he spoke with, especially when it concerned her or her daughter, and it melted her heart each time. She didn't know what she did to deserve him, but she would do everything in her power to keep him.

She brought his hands up to her lips, and kissed his knuckles, before bringing their intertwined fingers to her chest. She smiled through her tear-clouded eyes, "She's definitely gonna be yours Fitz"

That statement alone made he dive in and kiss her hard on the mouth, immediately pushing his tongue past her lips and tasting her. It was several seconds later that they broke away and Olivia wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him towards the cash register to pay for the backpack.

"Let's get out of here."

Once Fitz's order was complete, he carried Olivia's small bag that held Maddie's gift, and they sought out a Pizza shop and hot dog vendor, both wanting to indulge in the greasy food before they left just a few hours later. After eating, they took a quick stroll through the park before cutting through the middle to get to the hotel and pack up their things. An airport shuttle was set to pick them up in just under three hours, and they decided to just spend their remaining time together in the room. Fitz had glasses of wine brought up to the room, and they sat side by side on the terrace enjoying each other's presence.

They knew things would be different once they returned home, and they were both excited for that next step in their relationship.  
"So, I was thinking about how much fun weekend has been with you and how we keep mentioning that Maddie would love certain things"

"Yea" she looked up from where her head rested against his shoulder, wondering where his train of thought was leading. "Land your plane Fitz"

He laughed at the phrase she often used when he couldn't get his words out and would beat around the bush. "I would love to spend Christmas with you and Maddie, here, in New York. I normally am with, my parents, but they're going to Florida to see my mom's sister. Either way I was going to bring up spending the Holiday's with you two, but seeing this place in the winter is magical. We could take Maddie ice skating, and Harrison will be here, so it would be perfect for him to have you guys come up instead of him coming down."

"How long would you want to stay?"

"Well, I have vacation time that I can use, plus sick days before the year is up, and you get what, nearly a month? I would love to fly in on maybe the twenty-third, and stay till about the twenty-seventh. I don't think we should be here for New Year's."

"Yea, that'd be a bit too much for me, not to mention Maddie. I think I'd really love that Fitz, and I think Maddie would too." She burrowed further into his embrace before glancing at her phone. She had talked with Maddie once that afternoon and promised to facetime with her once they got through security at the airport. "As much I am dreading leaving here, I can't wait to get back and see my baby."

"I know you can't. Thank you for coming here with me. I know it wasn't easy being away from her."

"It might not have been that easiest thing, but I'm so glad that I came with you. Central Park is like our spot now, you know?

"It most definitely is our spot now, but I think we should also find a spot back home." He laughed, hoping she should agree with him.

"I think you're right"

Fitz and Olivia boarded their plane, her leading the way, and clasped hands once they were settled in their seats.

"I love you. Do you know that? I'm sorry it took me so long to say that, but it's been true for a while, I just wasn't ready yet" To most people her statement would mirror that of a woman that played games, and was emotionally dangerous, but she knew that he would understand where she was coming from. She could just be all in for herself, but she had to be all in for herself and be sure that this next step was also in Maddie's best interest. She loved that Fitz understood that, and would hold her daughter just as high in consideration when it came to their relationship status and boundaries.

"I know, and I would have waited forever for you to be ready. I love you Olivia Pope, more than I ever thought possible."

"Look who finally came _inside_ of the house"

"Shit! Abby, you scared the hell out of me!" Olivia jumped, dropping her suitcase when her hands came up to cover her mouth.

"I'm sure your heart rate hadn't returned to normal anyway after what I witness going on outside. I'm surprised you still have your tongue! Welcome home Liv" she moved closer to her and smashed her into a hug.

Olivia hugged her back and pulled back just a few inches, unable to hide the wince that escaped her.

Leaning back, Abby sent her a confused look.

"What the hell Liv?"

"Settle down Red, I'm fine"

"Fine? Fine doesn't have you pulling away from a hug like you're in pain Liv! Explain what the hell happened."

"Abby, I promise I'm fine. Let's just say that I am… _satisfyingly sore_" she blushed at the words she felt would explain how her body felt. "Thoroughly worked over and satisfyingly sore in the best way possible. So relax, I'm good, just a bit… tender"

Abby stood there speechless, which was something that rarely happened if ever. It took her a few more seconds before a thought could formulate and she was able to speak again.

"I got nothing" her face was still blank, but on the inside she was bursting with joy for her friend. "So I take it this trip changed things?"

"Definitely changed things for the better" she smiled and rolled her suitcase towards her room. She stopped at the door and turned to look at Abby and sent her a small smile, grateful for her friend and everything she'd done this weekend for her. "Hey Red, over a cliff"

"Over a cliff Liv" she winked at her "we'll talk in the morning"

Olivia knew that meant she wanted every detail concerning her weekend with Fitz but wouldn't push her tonight knowing that she couldn't wait to get in bed with her baby. She left her suitcase against the wall and quickly stripped out of her clothes and grabbed a fresh pair of pajamas from her drawer to change in to. She couldn't contain the smile that spread as she slipped in beside Maddie and pulled the little girl into her arms. She missed her scent and the feel of her in her arms so much. She smelled just like coconut oil and lavender. Kissing her face, she could tell that Abby let her stay up a little later than normal because she didn't budge and respond to her kisses. It was obvious she was drained. Reaching up, she grabbed her phone and sent Fitz a quick text.

"Thank you for this weekend baby. I love you so much and I'll talk to you tomorrow"

"I love you too Livvie. Thank you for this weekend and for loving me Sweet baby"


	4. Chapter 3

_You are the night time fear  
You are the morning when it's clear  
When it's over you're the start  
You're my head, you're my heart_

_No light, no light in your bright blue eyes  
I never knew daylight could be so violent  
A revelation in the light of day  
You can't choose what stays and what fades away_

-No Light, No Light- Florence and The Machine

Jake Ballard strolled out of the courtroom smiling as his client gave him several hard pats on his back.

"Ballard, I swear I owe you man. You got me off when no one else could. Donavan said you'd handle everything and he was right."

Jake didn't respond until the two of them were in the elevator alone with the exception of his assistant that followed them inside. Jake held off pressing the button to go to the sixth floor where his office was, and eyed his assistant, making the young lady squirm.

"Laurie, why don't you let me finish up the paperwork on this one" he smiled as he spoke, knowing that he could get her to do anything he wanted with just the right look in her direction. "You take the rest of the day off, and I'll see you tomorrow"

Blushing at the look he sent her, she looked down before nodding her head. "Oh, okay Mr. Ballard.."

"It's Jake, Laurie. Just Jake" the wink he sent her nearly had her falling at his knees. He always had a way with the ladies.

"Jake. Thank you, I'll see you tomorrow" She stepped out of the elevator, leaving the two men to themselves.

"Damn Ballard, you get it all don't you" the short, balled man asked, licking his lips at the young girls' retreating form.

"I do get what I want. Always have and always will." He spoke smugly and , onto business. You have the crew that you need now to move everything, and I'll make sure there's no one breathing down your neck from my end. Your guys need to watch their asses. I can't be around making sure there aren't undercover cops or watchers on your back when you do your illegal shit. You're clear of every charge on drug smuggling, so be smart and move the shit the way we discussed and don't try to get slick again. Is that clear?"

"You know Ballard you got the suit and tie on; you're a college prep boy. Don't forget you don't know how things are handled on the streets"

"This college prep boy just got charges of drugs and illegal weapons smuggling dropped and a shitload of eyes off your back. You wanna keep talking? You do as I say, or ill have a list of crimes as long as my dick to charge you with and send your ass to prison for a number of years higher than you can count"

The elevator stopped and Jake walked out, hearing the shy footsteps of the man coming behind him. Once he made it to his office, knowing that was the safest place to talk, they made arrangements for payment and as soon as Jake had proof that the money was in his account, he sent the man on his way. Pouring himself a glass of the Bourbon that sat on the mini bar, Jake took a sip and propped his feet up on the desk and smiled in victory seconds before he frowned in defeat.

All the criminals he dealt with should know better than to fuck with him by now, but some still tested him. He never expected to do this type of work while he worked his way through law school. The traits that he carried on from his father were always there, but they came as a package deal with the emotional scarring. His father did a real number on him growing up and the man didn't see anything wrong with the type of treatment he gave him or his mother. There was no surprise that he was a criminal lawyer, breaking the law he swore to uphold, just to keep the criminals out of jail. He knew the real reason why he was this way, but the help he needed had failed him once before and there was no way he was going back down that road again.

That was one thing Olivia had a hand in ruining for him that he still couldn't get over. Everything was under control until she came into his life. He was never a quitter- from a young age his father hammered that into his mind that "Ballard men got what they wanted. They didn't answer to anyone." He saw her and pounced. The good thing was that she welcomed him with open arms. Although she was brilliant, he liked her for how he saw her; fresh, and vulnerable wanting someone to take care of her; so he did. She'd told him that she always dreamt of going in to Law but that her mother was a teacher and after seeing the fulfillment she got from it, Olivia wanted a taste of that. She mentioned that she could never live with herself if she had to compromise her beliefs and morality for the law or lack thereof. She didn't want to put herself in the position to allow the power to get to her head. She said she knew her limits and couldn't push that; she had to be smart and make choices that didn't have the potential to suck the life out of her and change her as a person.

Jake made the exact opposite choice. Every choice he made from the moment he met Olivia shaped the man he wanted to be. The day he introduced himself to her, he saw the way her eye lit up as he shot off his credentials and she was impressed. He lived every day since waiting to see that same look in her eyes, but he hadn't witnessed that look again. The only way he could prove to her he was worth something, was to gain her trust back in the only way that mattered to her anymore. He had to be what his daughter needed him to be. He had to actually be her dad- a job he wasn't equip to have.

Fitz left out of the office with a smile on his face, excited to be done for the day. He'd gotten in just before eight that morning, and it was nearing five o'clock in the evening. He had been working overtime every-day for the past few weeks, seeing as many patients as possible, and taking patients that weren't his if he needed to. His goal had been to get in as much work as he possibly could because he had plans to look forward to. Not having children of his own, or any in his family- his sister was pregnant, but other than that he had no nieces or nephews- he didn't get to experience the holiday's from a child's point of view anymore.

Then Halloween happened.

After spending Halloween with Olivia, Madison and his parent's he vowed to enjoy every Holiday from Madison's point of view, and it went down in his top ten days he'd ever had.

_4 weeks earlier_

"_Liv, I swear I'm gonna hose her down in a minute if they don't find a way to relax her" Abby said walking through the room full of children over to sit by Olivia and the rest of the parents. "You'd think Quinn and her sidekick could do their damn jobs and make them listen to a story or something._

"_I hope the good Lord blesses you with triplets Abs" Olivia sent her a sugary smile, and then laughed at the horrified look that crossed her face. "Give them a break, they're just excited for the parade to start, and your goddaughter is pumped about the costume she got to choose all by herself this year amongst other things." She blushed at the thought of her daughter being excited for a certain person to arrive any minute now. _

"_Yea, yea, we know she's just excited for Mr. Good Hair to get here. Admit it Liv, since you guys got serious, we've become chopped liver, and he is her world now."_

"_Well, I wouldn't have it any other way" _

_Olivia knew that everything Abby was saying was in fact the truth. It had only been three weeks since they returned from New York, and it seemed that the moment Olivia opened herself up to Fitz, Madison happily followed suit. It helped that Fitz took complete advantage of the permission he had to fully love the little girl. He became even more smitten with her-if that was possible- and seeing nothing but a positive reaction from her mother, Madison was completely receptive of his affection. If Olivia was honest with herself, she knew that their first visit to his apartment had changed everything for Madison. They had went over to Fitzs' house one Saturday and both Madison and Olivia had been surprised to find a small portion of his living room filled with toys and trinkets that he gotten from New York and others he clearly had to have purchased afterwards. He had kissed Olivia hello, and sat down next to the tiny knee-high bookcase that held about twenty books that he had gotten for Madison. _

"_Hi Mads, you see these cool toys I got here?"_

"_You have toys Fence" her squeaky voice was shy as she leaned against Liv's leg, unsure of what to do. If this was anything like her dad's house, she would play with the toys by herself while he did other things and she'd be alone for the majority of the time. _

_Olivia wasn't sure what was suddenly wrong with her daughter, but wanted to make sure that her first experience at Fitzs' place went great. "Baby, Fitz got all of these really cool toys and books for you to play with when we come over"_

"_I just play with toys and you go to his room?" she asked looking up at her with wide eyes. It was what she was used to at her fathers' house._

"_No sweet girl" Fitz interrupted, wanting to take every fear that she had away. "Come here" he opened his hand and waited for her to take it. Seeing Olivia nod her head, she took a hold of Fitzs's hand and allowed him to bring her to sit in his lap. He squeezed her softly against him, and kissed her hair before he turned her around so he was able to see her face. _

"_Mads, these toys are for all of us to play together. I need your help because I don't know how to play with these toys, but since I know that you do, I got them so we could play with them together"_

_The entire time she looked at him she didn't blink, but just stared at him as if she could read him and detect if she should trust him or not. She looked so much like Olivia that Fitz couldn't help but smile, and although he could definitely see traces of Jake, her sweet spirit overpowered his genes._

"_Can mommy play too, and you be nice to her?"_

_Fitz swallowed the small lump that formed in his throat and glanced quickly at Olivia before he returned his eyes to the little beauty in his arms. _

"_I promise I'll always be nice to your mommy and you, and mommy can always play with us."_

"_Can we color" he noticed that her eyes had immediately went to the small art table next to him as soon as she walked in._

"_Yes, but can I have the red marker?" he smirked at Olivia remembering when she told him that Madison didn't like red and would always offer that color to anyone just so she wouldn't have to use it._

_Olivia was jostled from her thoughts when she heard her daughter's loud voice._

"_FENCE!" Her small voice carried throughout the room and all eyes followed her as she ran towards Fitz and he caught her mid-air when she launched herself into his arms. "You're here!"_

"_Of course I'm here Maddie-Bear! I couldn't miss seeing the most beautiful butterfly in the world in her parade." He kissed her cheek and hiked her up on his hip before walking over towards Liv and Abby and sitting down. Olivia smiled at him and leaned in to kiss his cheek._

_Leaning back, Fitz gave her a confusing look at the simple peck to the cheek she'd given him. _

"_You really want me to start something I can't finish? Especially with innocent and prying eyes all over the room." She whispered to him, snickering when Maddie leaned in to try and listen to what she was saying. "Go line up with Ms. Quinn baby" Olivia said when she noticed the other students lining up with their teachers. _

"_Bye cutie" Fitz said. He sat her down, and watched Olivia fix the purple and yellow wings that she wore on her back before she skipped off to where her friends were. _

"_Thank you for coming babe, you're all she talked about this morning to her friends"_

"_Really? What did she say about me?" _

"_She said, and I quote, "Fence is gonna come watch my parade today then we going to a festi-cal with his mommy and daddy"_

_He laughed imagining how adorable she must have sounded. _

"_Well, I promised her I would be here, so of course I was gonna come."_

_The parade started just ten minutes later and all the grown up smiled as the children followed the teachers throughout the school, singing silly spooky songs and making monster noises. When it was over the four of them left and Abby went to her office party, while Fitz, Liv and Maddie went to the trunk or treat festival that was in his parent's church. Fitz had been volunteering there for as long as he could remember, and he knew that Maddie and Olivia would enjoy it._

_A plus side was that his parents had loved meeting Olivia just a week before, and were itching to meet Madison with the way Fitz talked about her. They could tell their son was in love in two different ways and they were excited to meet the two ladies that captured his heart. _

_Maddie's face lit up the second they arrived and she wanted to get on every ride that she was tall enough for. _

"_Fence, can hold me mommy" she said as soon as she was unbuckled from her carseat._

"_Of course I wanna hold you Maddie-Bear, come here." He lifted her on his shoulders, laughing when Olivia moved the tutu her daughter was wearing from Ftiz's eyes and grabbed a hold of his hand. In her free hand she carried Madison's basket that her little girl was hopeful to fill with candy._

"_Fitzgerald, over here son" _

_Fitz recognized the voice of his father immediately, and smiles in his direction before leading Olivia towards them. _

"_Olivia dear, it's so good to see you again" Fitzgerald senior, pulled her into a warm hug, then moved aside when his wife came closer and followed suit, except she hugged her a bit longer and held her a little tighter._

"_Yes dear, I'm so glad you two could make it. I just know you will enjoy yourselves."_

"_Thank you Catherine for inviting us, really Madison is very excited." She motioned for Fitz to take Madison down, and instead of standing her up, he just settled her back on his hip before he introduced them. _

"_Mom, Dad, this is Madison. Mads this is my mom and this is my dad. They helped make all this fun stuff for all the kids to do tonight"_

_She tucked her head closer to Fit'z cheek, one hand playing with the string of the Duke sweatshirt he wore._

"_Hi" _

"_Hi hunny! Can I hold you? There are some cute little pumpkins that all the kids are painting and I saved one just for you" Catherine spoke sweetly to her, hoping that she would allow her the chance to hold her. _

"_Maddie, can Ms. Catherine take you? I know you will have so much fun!"_

_She looked to her mom, then Fitz unsure about it, but becoming less scared from the look on their faces _

"_Are you and Fence gonna leave?"_

"_No babygirl, we're gonna stay right here" Fitz chimed in. "Once you're done painting your pumpkin, we can get on a few rides before we grab some food."_

"_Ok" she looked to the older woman to see if she would reach out her arms again, and when she did, Madison went into them willingly. She smiled as Catherine talked to her animatedly the entire time and would glance behind them every once in a while to be sure that Liv and Fitz were still there._

_She laughed hysterically throughout the night with Fitz parents who insisted on taking her on the tea cup-like ride each time she requested it. One of her favorite stations was the bubble machine that they had that constantly blew bubbles out in different sizes. Olivia couldn't count the amount of pictures she took of her happy little girl squealing loudly and shrieking whenever the bubbles would pop on Fitz. Anytime she wasn't glued to Fitz's shoulders, she was being passed between Mr. and Mrs. Grant, loving the attention she was getting. It was Fitz that noticed no matter how happy or occupied Madison seemed, every few minutes she would check her surroundings, making sure that her mother wasn't too far away. Olivia would always be her number one. _

It was a day that he wouldn't forget years from now and he was ready to create more memories with his two favorite girls.

Driving down the street, towards his parents' house, he decided against calling Olivia knowing that he would see them in just a few minutes. If he were honest with himself, he'd admit to being giddy and overtly excited. He could only imagine how amazing it would be to walk into his childhood home and see Olivia and Madison helping to prepare Thanksgiving dinner with his parents.

It was a few minutes later that he pulled into the driveway behind Olivia's car, and walked into the house, carrying his bag so that he could change out of his work clothes.

"Hey, anyone here?" he said walking in, hearing the voice coming from the far back where the kitchen was located. It took a second for him to hear the pitter-patter of footsteps followed by Olivia's voice cautioning Madison to "slow down", before he saw the tiny girl charging down the hall wearing a long, oversized apron, curls bouncing in the high ponytail she wore.

"Fence!" she giggled out, running as fast as she could, and right before she could reach him, her foot slipped on the front of the apron, and she went down fast and hard on her face.

Olivia had been following behind her, and could tell that it was bad by the look on Fitzs' face. It didn't surprise her that she had tripped. She was moving too fast and her feet couldn't keep up with her excitement of seeing Fitz.

Fitz had her scooped up in his arms before Olivia could reach her, and she hated the sobs coming from her little girl, but even more she hated what she knew was about to happen.

"Mommy" Maddie screamed so loud Fitz had to pull his face away from hers. Fitz immediately sensed that it wasn't him that she wanted and passed her to Olivia as soon as she reached the two of them.

She grabbed a hold of Liv's neck and Fitz internally scolded himself for watching the lower half of her body as she walked back into the kitchen with Madison still crying in her embrace. Madison should have been the main focus, but he couldn't help himself; he hadn't seen her in a couple of days and just wanted to kiss her senseless.

When he finally made his way into the kitchen, he saw his mother handing Olivia a wet wash cloth that had ice wrapped in it as well. It took her a few times, but she convinced Madison to take a seat on the island while Olivia stood in front of her, accessing her lip that had blood smeared on it. She had definitely bit her lip when she fell, and although the cut was small, Olivia was sure that it both hurt and startled her daughter. She kept the ice on her lip even while Maddie rested her head on her mother's chest once Olivia sat down on one of the long couches in the living room.

Olivia felt bad. With their time today being limited, the Grants decided to have a special Thanksgiving Lunch so that they could include both Olivia and Madison; so knowing that this small incident was cutting into their time together, made her feel bad. They didn't seem to mind, but the last thing she wanted to do was come in and mess up holiday traditions because of the drama that was Madison's father.

"How's she doing"

Olivia looked up hearing Fitz's voice as he entered the room. He had changed out of his work clothes into a pair of jeans and a fitted light blue t-shirt. Olivia swore he owned more than she could count, but she would never complain because he looked so damn good in them.

"She's good, it's just a little cut. A bit swollen, but nothing to worry about. I know it hurt her, and scared her a bit, but I'm never ashamed to admit I have a little actress on my hands" she laughed saying the last part and sighed when he sat down next to her. He leaned over and was finally able to give her the greeting he'd wanted to when he stepped foot in the house nearly twenty minutes ago. He kissed her a few times, never pecking her lips, but kissing them fully and gently, mindful that Madison was directly beneath them and his parents were just a few feet away in the next room.

"Hi" he said finally pulling back, and sweeping her long bangs out of her face and behind her ear. It wasn't too often that he saw her in a straight, low pony-tail, but he loved the sexy simplicity of it.

"Hi" she greeted back. "I can't wait till later tonight"

"Me either, and it'll be over before you know it. You guys will be done, and we can spend the rest of the holiday together."

She didn't respond because there was no need to; he was completely right. Plus there was something that she loved about just sitting with him in sure silence, just breathing. Sometimes they got the opportunity to have moments like this that could last a good ten minutes, but they both knew it didn't take very long to escape into one another with just a look, a touch, a caress. All it really took was one minute.

Two hours later, Olivia carried her daughter up the stairs to Jake Ballard's apartment, and knocked a few times before taking a step back and giving herself a mental pep-talk. Olivia wasn't surprised that she had fallen asleep on the near forty-five minute trip, and hated that she would have to wake up to this, but Olivia had to put on a brave face for her daughter. She had to let her know that it was ok that they were there, and that they would make the best out of the situation.

After talking with Abby about her and Fitz's Christmas plans, they knew the holiday issue of Jake seeing Madison would come up, so they jumped the gun weeks before, and were able to give him options on the holiday season. She was surprised that he didn't fight her just for the sake of fighting, and had agreed to miss his Christmas visitation, as long as he got to see her for Thanksgiving and would she would spend New Year's Day with him.

The door opened before her, and Olivia took in her ex-fiancés' appearance. He seemed too delighted to see them, and even though that could be considered a good thing, she would never let her guard down around him.

"Happy Thanksgiving Liv" he stood back and gestured for her to come in.

It was a lot different from when they lived there together. It was less homey and more cold and rigid. She hated knowing that this was the shell of a home that her daughter had frequented when they split. She walked down the hall towards Madison's room, and sat on the edge of the bed before laying her down. She stripped her own coat off, before removing Madison's and pulled her boots off before glancing around the room. It was obvious she usually played alone. Games were still sealed in their boxes, some toys were untouched making her wonder how bored and lonely her daughter must've been when she visited. She hadn't been more grateful for the change of their custody agreement than she was now.

Making sure that she was still sleeping, Olivia took a deep breath and made her way out into the dining room where she saw Jake setting the table. She didn't know what kind of show he wanted to put on, but she until he gave her reason to believe he wanted more, she would act civilized.

"Hi Olivia"

"Jake. Happy Thanksgiving" she said avoiding his gaze.

"It doesn't have to be this way Olivia. We were good together, we took care of each other, and I still love you. I want you and Madison here with me where you belong."

"Is that why you were so cooperative with Christmas? You think that we can work things out, be together and what live happily ever after? "

"You say that like it's a bad thing Olivia. I am the father of your child"

"And that's unfortunate for her" she said deadpanned.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm trying Olivia, but I never imagine you running off with our daughter when I've given you everything. You just up and leave in the middle of the night; that's fucking kidnapping, I should've had your ass arrested"

"You think _this_is the kind of environment Madison deserves to grow up in? One where her father claims to love her mother and her mother absolutely hates her father? You think _that_ is what she needs? Well she doesn't."

"The second anything gets hard you just run Olivia, that's what you do! You didn't even try!"

His voice got louder and she knew the only way that Madison would possibly sleep through this would be if he stopped screaming and if she didn't match his volume, urging him on.

"Jake, living with you was like living in a prison. You were doing to me exactly what I know your father did to you. It's why you're…" She stopped seeing the look in his eyes change to one she hadn't seen in a long time. Taking a deep breath, she stopped that train of thought, and moved on to the next. "You were emotionally and mentally abusive and I got the hell out before it turned physical. There was no way I was going to allow Madison to be exposed to that. If you love her like you say you do Jake, you would see what I did was the right thing for us all. There is no happy ending for us Jake. You need to understand that and just do your best by her."

She said those words knowing that one- it wouldn't happen, and two- that she wouldn't want them to happen. She didn't want her daughter to have someone that would be around when they felt the need to show up. She didn't want someone that would ignore her daughter and make her believe she wasn't worth their time; she didn't want a mediocre father for Madison.

Olivia wanted someone that would lie in bed with her after reading bedtime stories just because they wanted to be close to her. She wanted a man that would show up out of the blue at her school to have lunch with her even though his day was swamped. She wanted him to spoil her rotten but also realize that it was his job to guide her and teach her right from wrong and that there were consequences in life. She wanted her daughter to have a dad to love and trust so that she didn't have to look to her mother for every answer; when mom didn't know, she could go to her dad.

She wanted Madison to have a daddy, and she wanted that daddy to be Fitz. It could only be him.

Olivia saw Jake's jaw grow more tense before he let out a hearty laugh that sounded as chilling as she knew he wanted it to sound.

"Well _Liv_" he emphasized, knowing she didn't want him to call her by the nickname. "that was sweet and all, but no man wants to raise another man's child; especially my child because I will be in her life and make YOUR life a living hell if you try and stop me from seeing my child. I tried to be nice, I tried to be civil, but the façade is fucking over. You can run out of here scared, and call up Abby and do what you want, but we both know my _dick_ can persuade a judge better than _Red_ can. I want shared custody of my daughter, and when I'm ready for that to happen again, it'll happen. You know that I get what I want Liv"

Before Olivia could even respond, something moving out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned to see Madison walking towards her while rubbing her eyes. She knew their loud voices would wake her, but still hoped against it. Coming to stand in front of Olivia, she didn't need to raise her arms for her mother to know she needed her embrace. Olivia brought her head to her shoulder, and kissed her head, keeping her hand pressed against her exposed ear. She didn't want her daughter to fully hear anything Jake had to say, or that she had to say to Jake.

"Don't try to give me the pouty lip and sad eyes Liv. I'm done being screwed over by you. You don't want to come back to this family, well then I'll bring my family home to me starting with Madison spending more time where she belongs." He dropped the dish of green beans he held onto the dining room table with a loud thud, making both Olivia and Madison jump. "Go ahead, you are free to go. This Thanksgiving has been amazing. You can get your shit and leave. "

Olivia walked quickly down to Madison's room and put their coats on as fast as they could, and slipped her boots on. She grabbed a hold of Madison's boots, and brought her on her hip, not stopping to put them on the small child. She just wanted to get out of their as fast as possible.

"Mommy, we can go back to see Fence now"

"What is a fence Olivia" Jake stood at Madison's door watching them, and wondered what she was referring to. Moving towards them, he took a hold of Madison's arms and lifted her from Olivia's embrace before she could stop him.

"I want mommy" she whinned, feeling the tension in the room.

"Jake, what are you doing? You said we could go, now let us go" she immediately felt the tears blur her vision, remembering the last time she stood face to face with Jake begging him to hand her daughter over.

"Just giving me daughter a hug liv. She is my daughter, and I can damn well do what I please with her. Now don't try anything stupid Olivia, I'll see you on New Year's Day right?" He looked at her, daring her to disagree with him.

"Right" she trembled and reached out again for Madison and finally released the breath she'd been holding when he handed her over.

She looked up before pushing past him to leave the room and go to the front door.

He stood back against the wall in the hallway and snickered at her form walking swiftly towards the front door.

"You never answered, what's a fence?"

"It's none of your damn business. Goodbye Jake."

Olivia and Fitz lay in his bed that night, his arms wrapped as securely around her as he could manage with Madison asleep between them. This wasn't the first time they had slept at his place- all in the same bed- but this was the first time that he had to hold Olivia as she cried in the bathroom away from Madison's, and calm her down before they could climb into bed with the little girl.

Fitz knew something was wrong the second the doorbell to his parent's house rang and she stood on the other side of it, teary eyed and holding Madison so tight that when the little girl threw herself towards him, he had to convince Olivia that it was ok to let her go. Something had clearly gone wrong at Jakes. They had come back hours early, and Olivia was completely shaken up and cautious; a side of her he had never really seen. Throughout their evening, Madison was thoroughly entertained and loved on by his parents and himself even but his main focus was getting Olivia through the evening until they could talk back at his place. She assured him that she was fine and would talk to him about their visit with Jake later, but that she just wanted to enjoy the holiday with them and forget about it for the time being.

"Liv, I promise you, I will do everything in my will power to help you get full custody of Madison. I hate that you were there with him alone today and he said that mess to you. It's like he wanted to trap you there or something"

"Fitz, I didn't tell you while we were at your parents and a part of me doesn't want to tell you now since Madison is right here."

"You didn't tell me what?" Even though it was dark in the room, the bathroom light they'd promised to keep on for Madison let in enough light that they were able to see each other.

"Just don't get upset, and do anything crazy. You've become her new favorite pillow, and you getting all tense, will surely wake her up" She tried to lighten the mood, while alluding to the fact that he had definitely captured her daughters heart. Just like last time, the second they climbed into bed, she'd cuddled into Fit'z chest, and stayed there throughout the night.

"It's not the first time he's done it..it's not a big deal, and this time was different. It wasn't as scary, but I was getting our coats, and shoes from her room, and he just comes in and takes her right out of my arms. She called for me, and it's not like he did anything else, but he just took her. It's his way of proving to me that he's stronger and basically that he can physically take her from me anytime he wants and there isn't much that I can do about it."

She was right when she warned him to stay calm.

Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III wasn't a perfect man. He took care of his patients, loved them deeply, and worked hard for what he had, but the one flaw he definitely possessed was anger. It didn't show much, but he had a temper that only came out when those he loved were mistreated. He fought hard to remain calm, remember her words of Madison resting so peacefully on him. He would die trying to give them a perfect life.

"I'm so sorry Livvie that I couldn't have been there with you today. I'm sorry that Maddie had to go through that as well. But what did you mean when you said "it's not the first time he's done it" and "it's not a big deal" He's done this before? Livvie, has he ever put his hands on you, physically? Either of you?"

Olivia averted her eyes and leaned back against the pillow, feeling the tears slipping from the corners of her eyes, not bothering to stop them. He leaned over as far as he could, and his lips reached just the peak of her left cheekbone. Turning back to look at him, Olivia took a deep breath before she spoke.

"There's a few more things I need to tell you Fitz…."


	5. Chapter 4

_Story books are full of fairy tales__  
__Of kings and queens and the bluest skies__  
__My heart is torn just in knowing__  
__You'll someday see the truth from lies__  
__When the clouds will rage in  
Storms will race in  
But you will be safe in my arms  
Rains will pour down  
Waves will crash around  
But you will be safe in my arms, in my arms_

**In My Arms- Plumb**

"_This little piggy went to market, this little piggy went home. This little piggy ate roast beef, this little piggy had none. And this little piggy cried wee-wee-wee, all the way home."_

_Olivia smiled at the loud giggle that escaped her daughters' mouth as she pulled on her tiny toes. She'd been doing everything that she could to distract her from the loud voice that rang through their apartment's living room. Jake had been on the phone with the District Attorney and from the look in his eyes when he first answered the call, Olivia knew that it wasn't a conversation that would be quick or G-rated. Madison didn't need to hear that, nor did she deserve it, but that was the life they were living for the time being._

_After being with Jake for nearly three years now, Olivia was able to see pass the façade that he showed everyone else. No one knew the real Jake Ballard like she did, and that was the only reason she tried her hardest with him on every account. She knew about his distant relationship with his parents, but hadn't pushed the subject simply because she didn't want him to do the same in return. No matter how much she thought she loved him, there were certain parts of her life that were only hers; and her parents were the biggest ones._

_She could remember the day she searched through his home office files and came across various documents, paperwork and evaluations with different diagnostic tests coming up negative. She wasn't snooping, but needed to find some of Madison's documents and started her search there. It looked as if Jake had to do certain screenings for his job and with the different psychological test they'd given the lawyers, it was sure to filter out the ones incapable of doing the job. She had no clue he'd taken those test and was even more shocked, when she came across a certain pack of papers._

_Marching into the living room, Olivia saw Jake sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand and sat down next to him._

"_Jake, can you turn that off? I really need to talk to you about something."_

_He glanced in her direction before his attention was back on the television. "Can it wait? Kind of in the middle of something here babe"_

_She shook her head and grabbed the remote to pause the tv. "It really can't. I need you to explain what these papers mean."_

_He noticed the papers that she was holding and felt his blood start to boil. "Were you going through my things? What the hell are you doing with those? It's none of your damn business."_

"_As your fiancé, and the mother to your child it is my damn business Jake. These papers say that you have Antisocial Personality Disorder Jake. Wha.. what is that? What does that mean?" She felt the tears building in her eyes for different reasons. She should have guessed by now that something was mentally wrong with him, but didn't want to believe it. She'd witness him distant, cold, loving, overtly stubborn, prideful, andself-deprecating, but never knew that it went so much deeper than surface level._

"_What the hell do you want me to say Olivia?" he roared. "That my father berated me so much as a child that he fucked every part of my brain up? This folder you went and "found", that's the mind fuck the guys downtown did on me to see if I was mentally stable enough to handle Criminal Law and when the results brought this shit up, I paid a guy to switch out the files, passed with flying colors and here I am."_

_He slammed the remote down on the table in front of the couch before he moved to the kitchen to grab another beer. They both turned when they heard cries coming from down the hall, and knew that his loud voice and actions were the reason she was awake. She had just gone down for her nap, and she should still be sleeping soundly in her crib._

_Olivia sat there nearly afraid to move. She wanted Madison to soothe herself back to sleep, and she didn't want their conversation to be over with. Before she could react, Jake took a long gulp of the alcohol and then walked back towards her room. Olivia quickly followed suit, and hoped that he would just hand their daughter over. He was in no mood to be comforting her._

"_Madison, calm down baby, everything's fine."_

_Olivia could hear the coldness in his voice and knew that Madison could feel it the second he picked her up. The little girl reached for her mother, wiggling as much as her nineteen month old body could, in hopes of reaching her._

"_Dammit, just take her. I can't do this with her right now."_

_He handed her over, and Olivia rocked her and whispered soothing words to her until she started drifting back off. She laid her back down before she could fully fall asleep, and watched her cuddle into the soft blanket in her crib before she whimpered her way back to sleep._

_She went into their bedroom and got out her Ipad, searching for any and all information that she could find on Antisocial Personality Disorder. She felt horrible know that he was living with this disorder and even worse knowing that his upbringing had played a factor in his diagnosis. She looked up when she heard him enter the room, and could feel his eyes on her. The last thing she expected was for him to fall to his knees on the floor in front of her. His sobs were loud as he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into her stomach pleading for her to forgive him._

"_I just need you to give me another chance. I didn't mean to keep this from you, but I was afraid you would leave me and take my daughter."_

"_Jake" she wasn't sure what to say. When she first came across the papers, she immediately saw it as her way out and thanked Heaven that she had some sort of documentation to prove he wasn't in his right mind. Now with him pleading with her, she knew she just couldn't leave him without at least trying._

"_Jake, if we are going to move past this in any capacity, you have to get help. There are treatments and long term therapy, and medications that you can use to help you with this. I see it, and I hate that it took me so long to understand it, and figure it out but I have now. I need you to get better Jake, promise me."_

_He immediately made promises to get help, and Olivia witnessed first-hand him going to therapy sessions and trying different techniques that his doctor encouraged. She wanted so bad for things to get better for them, but in the back of her mind she was still hoping that this was her way out._

_Five Months Later_

_All it took was one visit from his parents during Madison's second birthday for Olivia to understand why Jake was the way that he was. She had met his mother once before and although she didn't seem like the typical mother sniffing out her baby boy's new woman, she seemed normal enough for Olivia. But with both his parents deciding to finally come and meet their granddaughter after two years, Olivia saw a different side to both Jake and his mother. There were looks of distain, hatred, snide comments his father had made about Madison being a "different kind of breed" and the worst part of the evening was that Jake stood there and took every comment without uttering a word back. It didn't take long for Harrison to jump in and tell him to either "shut the hell up, or get the hell out of my nieces party." Madison had been glued to his hip and he made it his business to keep her occupied and having fun. Olivia had the small celebration at Chuck-ee Cheese, knowing Madison loved the place, and the looks she received from people witnessing Jake and his father interact, thoroughly embarrassed her._

_That evening when they returned home, Jake was already refilling his glass with burbon, and looking halfway ready to pass out. The original plan was to let Madison go home with Jake and have him put her down while she dropped Harrison at the airport. He had to get back to school and had just flown in the night before so that he could be at the party. Once all hell broke loose, Olivia had no intentions of sending Madison with Jake and took her to the airport with her._

_She didn't speak to him when she passed the living room and made her way to the hall bathroom. It was way past her bedtime, but with all the playing she did, and the germs Olivia knewcovered the kid-friendly place, she was determined to give the sleepy child a bath before putting her down for the night._

"_I ni-night momma" Madison whimpered when Olivia brought her into the bathroom, and started undressing her._

"_I know baby, but we need to get cleaned really fast, then you can go night night" she ran the water, and once the temperature was right, she sat her inside before getting on her knees to get this over with as quickly as possible._

"_Liv, we need to talk" Jake slurred behind her, and Olivia refused to acknowledge him._

"_Olivia, I said we need to talk. My parents.. my dad, he didn't mean what he said."_

"_Don't" she started calmly. "Don't make excuses for them. I'm not doing this with you right now Jake, I'm bathing Madison and putting her to bed, and then we can talk. Baby, relax, mommy's moving as fast as she can" Madison continued to whimper and Olivia hated that Jake clearly wasn't going to back down. She'd washed her up enough to feel like she wasn't a terrible mother, and knew she had to at least wash through her curls once to rid them of the cake icing that'd made its way there._

"_Olivia, just fucking leave her alone and talk to me for a second", he roared loudly, causing Madison to full on cry._

"_You always make things worse! Just stop it okay!" tears poured from her eyes and she hurriedly rinsed Madison's curls, her usual way escaping her mind, so the water went all over her face forcing high pitched screams to escape the two year grabbed at the towel that hung on the rack and laid it over her chest before scooping Madison out of the tub and wrapping the towel around her. She pushed past Jake, and made her way into the nursery and laid the crying child down on the changing table. Olivia brought both hands up to try and stop the tears, knowing that her being upset only caused Madison more stress. She went back to drying her off when Jake came up behind her yelling, making her wish she would have insisted that Harrison stay one more night._

"_Oh, I make things worse? If you hadn't pushed and pushed for them to be here, they wouldn't have given a shit about coming! None of this would've happened if you would've just left it alone."_

"_NO! Things wouldn't be like this if you hadn't went off your medication! I'm not stupid Jake, I can tell you've been off your meds for months now! I'm not an idiot." She craned her head to yell at him. She already felt horrible for arguing in front of their daughter, but she refused to scream directly over her. She secured the diaper on Madison before opening the drawer and reaching for the jar of coconut oil._

"_You think you know every got damn thing don't you Olivia? Don't you! You don't know shit about me and what I need! You never have! Are you even listening to me!?" he grabbed her arm and flung her around into his chest. "Everything isn't always about what you want Olivia. I can't be perfect like you okay?"_

"_Jake, please. Let me get her in bed" She tried to crane her head to see Madison but he was quick to stop her._

"_No! Everything isn't about YOU, and everything isn't about HER! Just try to understand that…"_

_They both heard a thump followed by a loud cry. Jake's eyes went wide, and Olivia was finally able to yank herself out of his grasp. She scooped Madison up as fast as she could, and checked the screaming child for bumps and bruises._

"_Is she okay" he muttered, taking a step towards them._

"_No! Don't" For every step he took towards them, she took one back._

"_No she isn't okay. She fell off her changing table Jake! I need to see if she's hurt anything. You need to move, you're scaring her." Olivia was in hysterics, but tried her best to keep calm knowing that it only made Madison more upset. She pushed past him and moved to sit Madison back on the changing table in order to look her over, but she only cried louder and clutched her neck as tightly as she could._

"_Jake, I need to take her to the hospital."_

"_Hospital, Olivia she's fine! She fell, kids fall all the time"_

_"Two year olds' don't fall off their changing table and not get checked out by a doctor Jake!" She yelled back. She so badly wanted to get Madison checked out, but knew he wouldn't let her leave._

"_Olivia, I fell all the time as a kid, hell my dad would push me and knock me around every day, you think I went to a hospital dammit?" He became enraged and grabbed a hold of her arms, and pulling her back to his chest. She was able to pull one arm away to grab a hold of Madison, who still clung to get neck._

"_Jake…. Let me take care of her." She spoke in a quiet voice._

"_You're not leaving this house Olivia." He wanted to make that clear. "You're not leaving me."_

_When she nodded her head, he turned her around and kissed Madison's head "She'll be fine. We all just need to sleep it off and start all over tomorrow."_

_Olivia looked up at him, and for the first time saw a completely different person. "You're right. I'm just gonna dress her and get some ice for her head, and rock with her for a while to make sure she's ok." She played cooperatively, hoping that he would pour himself another drink and pass out._

"_Ice is smart." His words were already starting to slur and she could smell the hard liquor on his breath. "You do that, and I'm going to head to bed. I've had a long day and just wanna sleep,ya know?" He grabbed at her chin and leaned down and kissed her sloppily before leaving the room._

_Olivia stayed rooted in place, listening to the clanking of glass, then seconds later, saw him walk back past the room, and down to theirs. She went to grab one of the bear ice packs they had in the freezer and when she got back into the room, she turned the bright light on in order to assess Madison better. She had a large goose-egg knot on the top left side of her head, and Olivia gently pressed the pack to her head, moving it back repeatedly every time Madison pushed it away and burrowed further into her breast._

_Olivia moved across the room quickly to grab her phone from the small backpack holding Madison and her things, and reached into the crib to grab the fleece blanket her daughter loved to cuddle up with. She went to the dresser to pull out a pair of footie pajamas, and sent Abby a quick text before she put the pjs on her._

_Liv: Abby, I need you to come get us please._

_Abby: what's wrong? U realize how late it is_

_Olivia read the text and sighed._

_She leaned away from Madison enough to take a picture of her head before sending it to Abby._

_Liv: DO NOT call Abby. Just PLZ get here in 30 mins. I'll explain later. I just need to wait until he's sleeping. Plz._

_Abby: WTF. On my way now, I'll be waiting outside._

_She read the message and stuffed the phone in her pocket. Standing up, Olivia moved Madison to rest on her hip, her curls still slightly dripping wet, her eyes and face red from crying. Now all you could hear were soft whimpers coming from the girl, but Olivia knew she couldn't let her drift off until she was checked out by a doctor. She reached into her closet, seeing the large diaper bag she no longer chose to use on a daily basis, and started stuffing clothes, diapers, wipes and shoes inside. She reached in her crib and grabbed her lovey and the other blanket and stuffed them into the bag._

_Olivia double checked the room making sure that she hadn't missed anything vital, she grabbed the towel, to dry a bit of her hair off, then sat the bag down by the door. She tip-toed as quietly as she could towards her room and peeked her head in to find Jake passed out. The glass had clearly fallen from his hand and Olivia could make out the wet spot on the bed where the liquor now was._

_Pulling the door closed, she walked back down the hall, and grabbed the diaper bag, backpack and her car keys, before leaving out the front door. She'd only stood outside maybe three minutes before Abby was pulling out and jumping out of the car._

"_What the hell happened to her Liv?" she was at Madison's side immediately wanting to hold the little girl._

"_I can't even explain right now. I just need to grab her seat from my car and we need to get to the emergency room. She doesn't need to sleep." She unlocked her doors and it took a few minutes to unhook the car seat from the back of her car. When she was done, she tossed it in the backseat of Abby's Land Rover before taking her back from Abby and climbing in the back with her._

_Olivia buckled them both into the seatbelt, not daring to let Madison out of her arms, and Abby drove as quickly as she could without breaking too many laws. When they pulled up, Olivia carried Madison in and by the time that Abby parked and came in, they were assessing her before sending her back to be seen by a doctor._

_Three days later, Olivia sat in the small room, with Madison sitting on the hospital bed, with a hospital juice cup in her hand, and a bag of colorful goldfish. The small purple elastic bandage was wrapped around her left wrist, and Olivia hoped that they would leave with her arm freed and a clean bill of health. She watched as the young nurse typed in Madison's weight and height that she had just taken as well as a few answers that she'd asked Olivia._

"_I think we've done everything Doctor Harris said to. I hope we did. Will he be able to check her out again? She really liked Dr. Harris, right baby?" She smiled over at Madison who wasn't listening, but focusing on her snack._

"_He's actually not in today due to a schedule change, but our Senior Resident is covering his patients today and will be in shortly." She continued putting her info in and left with promises of them being seen soon._

_Leaving her purse in the chair, Olivia climbed in the bed beside Madison, and snuggled close to her. When the toddler ignored her mother's presence and continued to munch of the colorful fish, Olivia moved closer and nuzzled her neck._

"_Mommy is hungry too. She wants some Maddie yummies" she said pretending to munch of her cheeks and neck making noises that had the girl in giggles, squirming around._

"_Momma munnies" she said trying to repeat after her mother._

_Olivia heard the curtain being pulled back and glanced up to have her eyes immediately lock in on the tall male that walked towards her and her daughter._

"_Olivia?" Her name slipped off his tongue before he could register what he was saying. He knew exactly who he was looking at._

"_Fitz Grant?" She looked just as shocked as he did, and sat up in the bed fixing her shirt that had rode up._

"_Hi."_

"_HI."_

_Olivia never expected to see him again, but she couldn't lie and say that she hadn't thought about him numerous times in the past few years. She hadn't seen him since he'd went off to medical school and had no clue if he'd move back to the area or not._

"_It's so good to see you." He stepped forward, and kneeled down next to her. "And this little one must be.." he trailed off and took a quick glance at his chart. "Madison Olivia Pope-Ballard. Ballard? So you and Jake huh? Congratulations, she's beautiful Olivia. How's Jake doing?"_

"_He's umm, well, we're not.." she trailed off and looked down at her trembling hands. She took a deep breath and looked up. "So this is Madison, and we just need to check on the sprain that she got on her wrist. Dr. Harris told us to come back in a few days to have it checked out and the bandage should be able to come off if things look ok." She wanted to change the subject onto the reason they were there in the first place. She hadn't seen Fitz in nearly four years, and if she could, she would embrace him and never let go. He had been such a great friend, and easily become one of the best guys she knew._

"_Alright, well let's take a look at the little lady. Hi Madison…"_

_It didn't take him long to complete the exam on the little girl, and he was glad when he broke through her shell and was able to get some smiles and even a few laughs out of her. He could tell that she was tough like her mom, and she was given a clean bill of health. Olivia held Madison on her lap the entire time, knowing she would get fidgety once he needed to take the bandage off. Once he took the bandage off, Fitz went through the procedural questions that he was obligated to ask Olivia. He hated to do it, but it was protocol when any parent brought in a young child with a fracture, sprain or broken bone of any sorts. He hoped to move as fast as he could, noticing that Madison was drifting off while sucking on the purple toddler cup._

_He went through a few of the questions that she was asked days ago, the intention being to see if any answers were different, which would raise a red flag._

"_So once Madison fell off the table, what first aid steps did you take before you brought her into the ER"_

"_I umm, she fell and I picked her up and just tried to check her over but she was hysterical and wouldn't really let me; she just clung to my neck. Then umm, it took another five minutes before I was able to get an ice pack on her head and I noticed the knot and had a friend come pick us up and bring her in."_

_Seeing that the little girl was finally out, Fitz decided that regardless of what the state and medical board required of him, he needed to know what happened that led to Madison falling off the table and Olivia not bringing her right into the ER._

"_Olivia, I know these questions are hard to answer, and they aren't meant to judge, but to just get as much information as possible." He waited for her to nod before he continued. "Was Madison alone on the changing table?"_

"_No, she wasn't, I was.. me and Jake were in the room with her." She refused to give him more information than he asked. She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat thinking of the thoughts that must be going through his mind._

_ . Bad Parent. Abusive._

_Words of the sort flooded her mind and she wasn't able to hold her tears back any longer. She promised herself that she wouldn't cause a scene again with this line of questioning as she did days ago, and chalked it up to being over-emotional about the entire night. Being there with Fitz, for some reason Olivia didn't feel the need to hold back what she was feeling. She not only felt safe, but she felt the need to make him understand that she was not a bad parent, but that she loved her daughter immensely. _

"_Olivia?" he wasn't sure what else to say, but when he saw her tears, he knew he had to say something._

"_It was her birthday party and it wasn't a good day. I was giving her a bath and he just started yelling things and berating me and when I took her to dress her for bed, I refused to pay him any mind and he yanked me to him so I would listen and she.. she just rolled off." She choked on a sob and buried her face into the sleeping girls' curls, kissing them gently before continuing. "He wouldn't let me bring her. He kept insisting that she was fine and that I was not going to leave."_

"_What happened after that" Fitz knew at her confession that he had to keep everything on a professional level to get through the last few questions because everything in him wanted to go find Jake and beat him to death._

"_He went to get another drink, and I just tried my best to calm her down and got an ice pack for her. I packed a bag for her and once I saw that he was passed out, I left and waited for my friend to pick us up and she brought us right here._

"_Olivia, I'm so sorry that you both had to go through that." He leaned forward and couldn't stop himself from taking her hand in his and squeezing it. Any amount of comfort that he could give her, he would. He really had no idea what else he could say that would come off too forward or make her feel uncomfortable._

"_It's ok" she whispered, her voice raspy. "The choices that I made led me here, and now it's time to make new choices."_

"_You're right about making new choices, but Olivia, it's not okay. It's not, and don't you ever believe that what happened is ok."_

_Looking into his eyes, she felt as though time stood still, and they were in their own universe away from everyone else. She took the chance to really look at him, and how he hadn't changed much. Sure his muscles had thickened, and there was a new maturity about him, but she knew that she was seeing him in a different light. A light that gave her the chance to wonder and be intrigued. A light that could bring joy and wash the pain away. The Light she needed in her life._

"_Why didn't I wait for you?"_

_Her voice was so quiet that he almost didn't hear her, and before he was able to respond, the curtain was opened by the same nurse that had checked them in._

"_Dr. Grant, they are in need of a Pediatric Resident in surgery"_

"_I'll be right there" he turned back to Olivia, and squeezed her hand before letting go and signing the paperwork to add to Madison's file. "You should keep with the instructions Dr. Harris gave you for tonight, but she should be good as new."_

_She stood and gathered their things and walked towards the double doors before she had the chance to say anything else that would potentially freak him out. As soon as she hit the silver button to open the door she heard his voice call her name and turned to see him jogging towards her._

"_Olivia, wait." He took a few deep breaths and handed her a small card that had a phone number hand written on it. "Call me if anything changes with her wrist, and umm, you can call me for anything else as well. If you need anything at all, just give me a call."_

_She could only nod at first, and then finally thanked him before she pressed the button again and walking to the exit._

_"Bye Olivia." He knew she wouldn't be able to hear him but said it anyway._

_Olivia was shocked when she hadn't heard so much as a peep from Jake for the remainder of the week, but welcomed the silence with open arms. Olivia and Madison shared the guest room at Abby's townhome, and her best friend had gone out of her way to make things as comfortable for them as possible. This wasn't the first time they'd stayed the night over, but they both knew that this wasn't just an overnight visit, but a temporary situation until Olivia made the choice to leave._

_Abby sat at her desk in her office typing out the final paperwork for Olivia and Jake's Custody Papers that she would serve him tomorrow. As far as Abby was concerned, Liv had put up with Jake for far too long, and it was past due time that she get herself and Madison out from under that roof before something bad really happened. Studying law had been Abby's passion, and she would be the one to see Olivia through this entire case if Jake fought back in any kind of way. She would have her friends' back no matter what came her way._

_Her cell phone started lighting up and vibrating next to her, and when she saw Liv's name and a picture of her and Madison, she immediately picked up._

"_Hey Liv, did you pick up short-stuff yet" she answered._

"_Abby, she's gone. Jake has her and I don't know where she is."_

"_Hold on, what the hell do you mean he has her Liv?"_

_She saved pushed away from the desk and grabbed her purse before leaving her office starting down the hall to the elevator._

"_I went to pick her up from school, and they said she was picked up and signed out by her father. Abby it was over two hours ago, what if he took her? Like really took her?"_

"_Liv, where are you? Did you call the police?"_

"_Yes, I called them, but there are no court orders yet, and she is with a legal guardian, so there's technically nothing they can do. They can't issue and Amber Alert or anything, unless I can prove that she's in danger. Abby how the hell am I supposed to just sit and wait that long"_

"_Liv, where are you" Abby repeated. She walked towards where she parked and got in, planning to drive to wherever her friend was._

"_I'm at his apartment, I came here as soon as I found out he'd picked her up."_

"_Liv, just stay there, I'm on my way right now. Don't move"_

_Abby wasn't one hundred percent sure that Olivia would listen to her and stay put, but when she arrived at the apartment building fifteen minutes later, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Olivia's car parked and she was sitting on the front steps. Olivia stood up once Abby exited the car, and although she was not a hugger, she knew her red-headed best friend would know that she still needed one. She squeezed her tighter as the sobs wracked her body, making her tremble and changing Abby's light green shirt to a darker shade._

"_Where's my baby" she choked out. "Where did he take her? I…. I need her back Abby, I can't live without her."_

"_I know Liv, I know. Let's sit down, come here" she lead her back to where she had been sitting on one of the steps, and ran back to her car to grab one of the notepads and pens from the backseat pocket._

"_Let's make a list of everyplace we can imagine him going, and we are going to call and check every single place until we find Madison."_

_She nodded her head and called off places she could think of, willing herself not to cry. Leaving Livs' car parked, Abby drove them around for hours to each place asking if they'd seen Jake and Madison but came up empty-handed on all accounts._

_Walking into the house later that evening, Olivia felt drained and defeated. She didn't know what to do with herself, and just wanted to lay there crying until Madison was back in her arms. Abby walked towards her with a coffee mug and sat it on the end table that was near her._

"_I made you some tea Liv, drink it. I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but drink it and rest. We will hear the phone if anyone calls with any information, but I need you to just rest. Even if you don't sleep, just rest. I'll be right here with you."_

_Standing up, Olivia went down the hall and disappeared into their room, before returning seconds later clutching Madison's yellow Lovey to her chest. She sat back down beside Abby, and buried her face into the material, inhaling her daughters scent._

"_I just got her to stop taking this everywhere. She wanted to take it to school today, but I made sure she didn't. I should've just let her. She can't sleep without it Abby. She's probably scared and tired and there's nothing I can do but sit here and wait and pray that he doesn't do anything crazy to my baby."_

_She cried on Abby's shoulder for the next hour until her body was exhausted enough and she fell asleep. Hours later, Olivia heard the familiar ring tone coming from her cellphone that was plugged into the wall behind her. Stumbling to get to it before it could stop ringing, she picked it up on the third ring, and answered with a shaky voice._

"_Jake?"_

"_I don't want hysterics, so control yourself. Come downstairs."_

_She dropped the phone on the couch and without bothering to put on any shoes, she tore out of the front door and moved as fast as she could down the few steps of the town home. Coming to the landing, she saw Jake sitting on the hood of his car, Madison draped across his chest asleep. Olivia started to move closer to the two of them, until Jake held up a hand, stopping her movements. Olivia bent at the waist, leaning her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath as the tears flowed down her face freely. There was no better feeling than seeing her daughter at that moment, that although she wanted to kill Jake, in the same way, she wanted to hug him being so grateful that he had brought her child back to her._

_Jake watched her, bent at the waist trying to control her breathing and waited until she was in an upright position before he started talking to her._

"_I'm not sure what part of "you're not leaving" you didn't understand, but you obviously didn't care about what I wanted. This little girl right here Olivia, she's not just yours, she's mine too."_

"_Why did you take her Jake?" she interrupted._

"_I simply picked my daughter up from day care and spent some time with her. See I was shocked when I woke up earlier this week, and found not only my fiancé gone, but my daughter missing as well. I waited for you guys to come back, and you never did so I waited the next day and the next day until I came home from work yesterday and realized you'd been there clearing your things out. So I realized that if I wanted to see my daughter again, I'd have to go get her myself, and that's what I did."_

"_Jake, please can I hold her?" she moved a few steps closer, wanting to hold Madison in her arms so badly._

"_No, you can't Olivia. I'm her parent too and I don't have to give her to you at all. But I will, and you'll cry and go back up to Red and first thing in the morning she'll draft up new papers probably wanting to terminate my parental rights, which is something you'll be wasting your time with. So draft up your appeals, and custody papers and I'll play along for now, but when I want to see my daughter Olivia, I will see her whether you agree or not."_

_Moving away from the car, Jake only needed to take two steps forward before Olivia was in front of him with trembling hands, waiting for him to hand the sleeping girl over. When she finally had her in her arms, she went to turn around but was stopped by Jake gripping her arm and turning her to face him again before he forced his mouth onto hers. He grinned against her lips at the feeling of her trying to move out of his arms, but he just held her tighter for a few more seconds before he released his hold on her. She took two steps back and covered her mouth with her hand, wiping the forced kiss off while crying from the betrayal and violations she felt from him._

_Abby woke up to the feeling of someone shaking her arm, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Olivia standing over with red yes and Madison in her arms._

"_Liv, what happened? Is she okay?" she couldn't believe that she somehow slept through whatever just occurred.  
"She's sleeping, but I want to get her checked out by a doctor"_

_Abby nodded, and scooted closer to get a closer look at her goddaughter. She had been so scared for the little girl, but knew she had to be strong for Olivia and be the one to take charge. She looked at Olivia and could tell that she was in deep thought. It was only a minute later when she asked Abby to grab her purse and Olivia sifted through her items until she found the card with Fitz's number on it._

_It was late, nearly four in the morning and too late to call, but for some reason, she couldn't stop herself from dialing his number, praying that he would be working in the ER again_

"I called you, waking you up, and you told me that you weren't working but could come in and check her out, but I told you that we would wait until the morning if you were going to be there. That's when you explained how you wouldn't be on ER duty for a while but would be at the doctor's office, and you insisted that we come in and you drove in to check Madison out. Even before you knew us, you cared."

Olivia looked up from her place in between Fitz's legs and gave him a watery smile. They had long since removed themselves from his bed so they wouldn't wake up Madison, and sat together in the love seat that sat in his living room. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her middle, his hands splayed across her stomach, holding her to him the entire time she talked. Different points in the story, she would feel his hands tighten against her, or he would bury his nose in her hair or her neck, laying kisses on any exposed skin he could find. He comforted her in any way he could think of, letting her know that he was there and she wouldn't have to relive those moments alone.

"I've always known you Livvie. I know you because you let me know you."

"I know. And I know you love me and Madison so much. You know how they say when you're really drunk, the truth comes out? He umm, Jake had gotten really drunk one night early on in my pregnancy, and it was just a normal night and he told me I should have an abortion."

"He what?" Fitz asked enraged.

"He told me "get rid of it while we still can" He tried to get me to literally leave the house to go to a clinic. He denied the whole thing the next day swearing that he wanted the baby and would never think that, but I know what he said. She's never had a real dad to love her and care for her like she deserves, and I hate that so much for her. My baby doesn't deserve that, but you know what?"

"What Livvie?"

"She deserves you. You've been amazing with her, and I'm so glad that she has you in her life. She loves you so much Fitz"

"I love her so much Livvie and she means the world to me. You both do." He leaned in and kissed her lips softly before deepening the kiss. He ran his tongue over her lips, silently asking for permission to taste her and when she opened her mouth, he ravished her, loving the way she tasted.

Turning around in his lap, Olivia straddled his legs and kept her mouth attached to his. She felt his fingers at the bottom of her shirt and pulled back from his lips for a second to help him lift it over her head. She didn't stop there, and had his shirt over his head just seconds later before she completely pulled away from him and stood up. Taking a small step back, she shimmied out of her pajama bottoms and panties before bending down to tug on the drawstring of his pants. He lifted his hips up to assist her and helped her them down his legs and on to the floor.

Olivia climbed back into his lap, immediately attaching her lips to his and seeking out his tongue. She grinding her warm heat into his erection and felt him harden beneath her, his dick bobbing against her inner thigh. Fearing that he might pass out from lack of air, Fitz tore his mouth away from hers and kissed his way down her chest, pay extra attention to her hardened nipples that stood begging for attention.

"Shhh baby" he whispered against her throat when she let out a loud moan. The last thing they needed was to wake up the little girl sleeping in his bedroom.

Grabbing a hold of her hips, Fitz lifted her slightly, angling her and lowered her onto him slowly. Her mouth fell open and she held on to his shoulders, taking control and letting herself ease down his rock hard shaft at her own pace. When she was completely sheathing him, they both sat still enjoying the feeling of being so connected.

"I love you baby" he opened his eyes to look at her and kissed her lips hard before lifting her up, leaving only the tip in and slamming her down on his erection. His mouth covered hers to drown out her moans and she began rocking her hips, meeting his upwards thrusts before she noticed him go still, letting her do all the work. She didn't mind though, she loved feeling in charge of his body, knowing that her movements would give him the release he needed.

Moving her hands to rest on his knees behind her, Olivia archedher back, threw her head back and pushed her hips further into his, opening her legs wider and allowing him to go deeper, hitting a new spot that had her seeing white spots. "I'm so close baby" her raspy voice sent him over the edge and he groaned, spilling his seed in her.

Feeling every inch of his dick pulsate as he came in her sent the familiar tingle through Olivia's body and she leaned forward to clutch his neck just before her orgasm hit her hard, her juices showering Fitz dick.

Pulling her face from its space between his neck and shoulder, Olivia looked up at him with a coy smile.

"So that's what I need to do from now on" she moved the damp curl from his forehead.

"_If_ I let you Livvie. That will only happen once in a blue moon" cupping her face in his hands, he pulled her forward and laid a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for telling me everything Livvie. I promise, he's not coming near you again. You and Madison are MY family now, and I'll protect you with my life"


	6. Chapter 5

_I've been searching for a reason  
And I'm running out of time  
I can feel that it's the season  
It's time to make up my mind_

_And I can't really tell you what I'm gonna do  
There are so many thoughts in my head  
There are two roads to walk down and one road to choose  
So I'm thinking over the things that you've said  
Thinking over the things..._

**-Thinking Over, Dana Glover**

Abby Whelan got out of her car and walked into the apartment building and down to the basement where the landlord lived. This was the first time she had gone there, but it didn't surprise her that the stairway was dark, eerie and avoidable. She knew that most people wouldn't come down here to pay their rent, but would either do it online or literally mail it to him before entering this type of atmosphere. She knocked on the door once, and barely a second later she heard a gruff sound, the door opened and she was ushered in before it was bolted behind her.

He didn't say anything, instead he led her over to the large desk in the corner of the room and allowed her to look through the papers he had strategically placed on the desk in the order he wanted her to look at them. When he saw that she understood the order, he moved to the chair on the other side and went typing away on his computer.

"Everything you see there, it's what we can use and have at our disposal but until I can figure out what this means, I have no way of telling what he might have"

Squinting, Abby, walked around the desk and leaned over his shoulder "what do you mean, what he might have? With all of this we have on him, there's no way he could get out of it or pull any strings. I'm taking his ass straight to the board"

"Yea, well he has most of the board in his pocket. There are a few high ends that run straight, but we have to go higher. Either way that's not what I'm worried about, what I'm worried about is this"

Abby looked at the folder he double clicked and her mouth fell open in shock.

"Huck, how the hell did this happen?"

Olivia stayed crouched down at the knees, opening her arms and welcoming each of her second graders into her embrace before they left the classroom. She wasn't on bus duty or carpool duty today and as much as she would miss her students over the Christmas break, she was happy to start her vacation with her own family. She hadn't had that feeling in a while, and smiled while she packed her things up. When her bag was filled with what she would be taking home, she took a few things down from the walls, deciding that it would be a lot easier for when she put up new decorations before the students returned in four weeks. She was very happy for the break from work, and the plans they had for the holidays.

When the last student was gone, she picked up her phone to check the texts that sent her phone vibrating nonstop for the past ten minutes. The first text she got was from Harrison telling her of another random place he'd found for them to go to while they were in New York. She smiled at his excitement and skimmed through a text from Abby that seemed very cryptic, telling her to meet them later that evening to discuss some things. Lastly, she opened a text from Fitz. She looked at the timestamp and noticed the timestamp was from just before eleven that morning. The text read "having fun without you already"

She laughed out loud at the picture he'd sent along with the message. It was now clear to her that his reason for not accepting her lunch time phone-call was because he decided upon himself to have lunch with Madison at her school. Looking closely, were several things she could tell from the picture. One, the lunch she had packed for Madison was more than likely untouched because she could make out the white and red bag on the small table they were sitting at, proving that he'd brought her lunch. She figured it was Chick-Fila and knew it made her daughters day.

They'd recently gone to Madison's allergist after learning that the company changed their oil to Canola in place of Peanut oil, but was assured that even the peanut oil was so refined that it was stripped of the proteins that would cause Madison to have an allergic reaction. Their first visit to the restaurant just a week ago had been stressful for Olivia, praying that what the doctor told her was in fact accurate. Madison loved the food and had begged to go there every day since, but Olivia told her it would be for special times only.

The second thing she noticed in the picture was how happy her little girl looked. She was standing in between Fit'z legs, one of his arms was wrapped around her little body, while Madison had one hand holding his fingers that rested on her side, and the other had a waffle fry heading towards her mouth. Fitz had his lips smushed to her left cheek while his left hand snapped the selfie of the two of them.

She could count on her hand the number of pictures Jake had with her daughter, whereas in the past few weeks, anytime Madison got even remotely close to Fitz, he was snapping pictures of the two of them. When they laid in bed most nights he would pull out his phone, and show her beautiful shots he had captured of either herself with Madison or just Madison during the day, and she would melt at how invested he really was. She was excited to get home and see him. She'd asked Quinn to keep Madison for her that afternoon so that she could get some work done in her class, and she agreed to just take her home with her after school and Olivia could pick her up before dinner.

It took her about an hour to finish up her room, and she gave out hugs to her fellow co-workers before bidding her supervisors goodbye and leaving. They'd gotten a half day with the children, and when it was time for dismissal, most of the parents came in with holiday gifts for the teachers, and personally said their thanks and goodbyes.

On the drive to Fit'z apartment, Olivia realized that for the past few weeks, she had been referring to his place as her home. Since she had revealed to Fitz what happened with Jake that night a month ago, she noticed an immediate change in his behavior. Before she felt completely secure with Fitz knowing that he would do anything for them, but after that night he'd become their protector. The way he would hold her when they went out, and watch her, she didn't just feel secure; she felt 100% safe with him believing that he would go to all cost to keep her and Madison safe.

The day that Olivia was served new court ordered papers, Fitz didn't hold his feelings back on the matter. He was livid, and fed up with Jake, terrified that he might try something that would cause Madison harm, but at the same time he dared him to try something. Olivia remembered talking him out of accompanying Madison on the visit firstly knowing that it had to be approved by the courts, and secondly she knew that Fitz wouldn't follow the order. Fitz still wasn't sure if Jake knew who he was, or figured out that Olivia was with him, but he could care less. He was ready to run into him in the streets and handle things once and for all. Weeks had gone by that Madison's visits with Jake resumed, and Abby went along to accompany her each time. When the new papers were delivered, Olivia had been prepared and she and Abby made the necessary phone calls they needed to, to assure that Huck would be able to help them.

Olivia had met Huck just months after she'd given birth to Madison, but Abby had known him throughout Law School. He was a few years older than Abby, and worked with her firm on a few cases that required his distinctive skills as a private investigator. Not only did Huck have a brilliant mind, but he had CIA training, and IT skills that could make anything happen, anytime. He took on the role of watching everything Jake Ballard did, whether he was with Madison or not. That allowed both Olivia and Fitz to relax when Madison did have her visitations with Jake. Not only was Abby with her, but Huck was always close by watching his every move and would interfere if anything were to happen. Fitz had been pretty adamant about not being left out of the loop, wanting to be there in any way possible and was glad that there was someone else, a very capable and trustworthy someone else watching out for Madison.

Opening the door to Fitz apartment, Olivia walked inside to see Fit'z sitting across the room in his large office chair with his back towards her. The small den in the apartment had been made into his office, where he had a variety of books on infant and children health and every medical book he'd ever read or wanted to read. Sitting her stuff by the door, she watched him crane his neck towards the door and gave her a once over before smiling.

"Hi you! So I got a text from…"

She stopped talking when he all of all sudden turned the chair completely around and she noticed Madison curled up on his lap asleep. Her eyes went to his in surprise and she put the rest of her things down before walking towards them.

"What.. I… she was supposed to be with Quinn until I picked her up"

Fitz tried to read the look on her face, but it was one he'd never seen before and that made him uneasy.

"What is she doing here Fitz?" her voice had risen and she took a step away from him in order to calm down. She disappeared down the hall and went into the bathroom, slamming the door shut before he had the chance to answer her.

Inside the bathroom Olivia ran the cold tap water over a washcloth before bringing it to her face and neck to cool off a bit. She willed herself not to cry, but to get past what she was feeling and just talk to Fitz about what was bothering her. That was one thing she loved about their relationship; from the beginning there had been open communication and honesty. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw him standing directly across from the door, and noticed that the bedroom door was closed letting her know that he'd laid Madison down.

Holding out his hand, Fitz waited patiently until she clasped her hand around his and walked them out into the living to sit on the couch.

"Hi"

It took a few more seconds than it normally did, but she replied with the infamous "Hi" that he was waiting for.

"I love you Livvie. So much"

"I know….. I love you too Fitz"

He wasn't sure why he needed to say those things to her, but with what just happened between them, he needed her to know how he felt, and selfishly, he wanted to hear the same words from her.

"When you came home and saw Madison with me… Livvie, you've never looked at me that way, I 've never even seen that look before. Just..please tell me what I did because I never want to see that look again."

"I umm, when I saw her here, in this apartment, in your lap it just brought back so many memories of that night with Jake taking her. I went to get her and she was gone, and I spent hours wondering where my daughter was. I just promised myself that no matter what I would make sure I always knew where she was and that I would be the one in charge of her well-being always and not anyone else. Before you, Abby was the only person on her emergency contact list that was allowed to get her, so when I put you on there, that was a big step for me. She wasn't supposed to be here, but i.."

"Livvie"

"No, it all sounds so stupid now that I'm saying it out loud, but when I saw her I just felt horrible because although I thought I did, I had no clue where my daughter was all this time."

"Stop, this is my fault, I didn't think and after knowing what happened that day with Jake, I should know better, and I'm sorry Livvie. I am so very sorry, please know that. I should have asked you to go have lunch wi.."

"No" she interrupted him quickly, not wanting him to apologize. "No, you never have to ask permission to go have lunch with her, I know she loved having you there. I just, next time just let me know if you want to pick her up from school or change any plans I've made for her. Please. I can't not know where she is."

"Baby, I promise I'll never do anything like that again. It was really spur of the moment and on impulse. Some of the kids were saying things and she was upset and I couldn't.."

"Upset? Why, what do you mean? What happened, is she okay?"

"Calm down baby. Let me explain. So I got there, and she was so excited to see me Livvie" he blushed just thinking back to the way her face lit up. "She was excited and I carried her to lunch and when we were almost done, a few of her friends that were done came over and started talking to us and one asked if I was her daddy"

"What did she say?" She almost didn't want to know what happened after hearing the question that they'd asked. She was fearful of the day Madison would start to ask her those types of questions. She was especially afraid because she wasn't sure how to explain to her daughter that her father was no good and would never love and care for her the way that she deserved. Madison might not understand the emotion she would feel, but it would be rejection and Olivia never wanted her daughter to feel such a thing.

"She didn't say anything at first, she just looked at me and when one of the kids said that I wasn't her dad, she just shook her head and hugged me. I just held her and kissed her and when it was time for her class to line up, Livvie, she just clung to me. Like the clinging she does to you and then she said she wanted to come with me, and I looked at Mrs. Smith, cause Quinn wasn't there, and she just shrugged and I picked her up, got her things and we left. I really didn't mean to make that kind of decision for her without asking you first, and when I called and you didn't answer, I didn't want to leave it on a voicemail. But regardless, I promise it won't happen again."

Before Fitz could continue with his promises and apologies, Olivia was in his lap, gripping his face and taking his bottom lip between hers. Her tongue sought his out immediately and he was eager to play along. Fitz's hands went under Olivia's shirt and moved under her arms, lifting her a bit higher till her legs spread and she was straddling his lap. He loved that she knew what he wanted. It had easily become his favorite position to be in with her regardless of what they were doing. They'd talked, bathed, shared a meal, and made love in that position countless times and Fitz wasn't sure there was a way to be any closer to her. The need for air caused them to pull away from each other at the same time, and they locked eyes immediately and just stared. This also wasn't new. Looking into each other's eyes never got old. For Fitz it was about the way her eyes were vulnerable with him, letting him in to her entire world, and for Olivia, she only saw strength, joy and warmth in his eyes. She needed all three of those qualities and loved that he was the one to help her get them.

Olivia inched closer, ready to continue their dance, when Fitz eyes suddenly crossed, and his tongue fell out of his mouth halting her actions and making her let out a gut busting laugh. She loved when he did the silliest things to make her laugh and change the mood. Fitzbeing silly in that moment was simply to not get too carried away knowing that there was more he wanted to say plus the fact that Madison would probably wake up pretty soon.

"Livvie, if something like that comes up again.. I just want to be sure we're on the same page and I want to feel confident enough that no matter what I tell Madison, I know that you will back me up one hundred percent.

Taking a deep breath, Olivia knew she had to be completely honest with him and share her fears and concerns. "Fitz, I know how much you care for.."

"Love Olivia, I LOVE Madison"

"I know, I know let me finish. I wasn't saying that you don't. I know how much you care _and_ love her, and if I'm being really honest then I'll say that I know what you want to mean to her and who you want to be to her"

He nodded, knowing that he didn't need to say the words. It had been both spoken and unspoken on many occasions when he spent time with Madison.

"I want that too Fitz, so much, I just.. it's not that we're moving too fast, I just don't know if _you're_ moving too fast for what that will actually mean if you take that role on."

"Olivia, we've had this conversation before!" he gently moved her from his lap and started pacing, a habit he realized he picked up from her. "The moment I know that you'll say yes, I'm proposing to you. I want to marry you Livvie, I've wanted that since we were in school together and that hasn't changed. You know that" He kept his voice calm for Madison's sake, but she could read and anger and turmoil in his features.

"I do know that" she didn't really want to get on that subject because she honestly wasn't sure what was holding her back. " I just don't want us rushing into a new relationship for you and Madison and then something happens and you're no longer here. I can't do that to her!"

"Something like what Olivia" he bellowed, not meaning to yell but unable to stop himself. The words she spoke were insulting and he wanted to do whatever he needed in order to heal the pain Jake had caused and make her learn to trust people again. Especially him.

"Something like Jake becoming extremely jealous and hurting you to get back at me! I've had friends stay completely away from me because of him and when he threatens people, they flee! I know he's a criminal and gets away with near murder and I can't.." she choked back a sob and put her hand up stopping him the second she realized he was moving to comfort her. "Fitz, I REFUSE to let him do something that would make you realize we are not worth it! You can do that to me, I can get over it, I'll HAVE to get over it for her, but I WILL NOT let her call you Daddy and have you walk away because it's too much! She's not losing another father"

She fought off his comforting arms, but he didn't let up until he had her fully wrapped in his tight embrace, his face pressed into hers, completely invading any personal space she might have wanted. He spoke over her tears, wanting her to hear him say what he wanted her to always know.

"Baby. Livvie, there is NOTHING that he could ever do that would make me walk away from you two. You're MY family now and I'm not going anywhere. Jake ruined every chance he had of being a husband and a father, and I know for a fact there's nothing that will make me walk away from the two most important peoplein my life." He used his thumbs to wipe away the tears that rested on her cheeks and waited for her to open her eyes before he continued. "Just as much as I want to marry you Livvie, I want to be Madison's dad. I was daddy daughter dates, and bedtime stories every night, trips to the dentist, and chaperoning filed trips. When she's older I want to fight her over getting a cell phone, I want to threaten any boys that looks at my baby, and I want to give her brothers and sisters one day. I want a family, and it starts... with… you… and … her" he kissed her lips between each word, making sure that no matter how small each one was, that she felt the emotions behind it. She finally squeezed him back just as tight as he was doing to her and released a breath she had been holding.

"Are you sure Fitz? I can't be hurt by you"

"Just tell me this, do you trust me?"

"Yes" she said with no hesitation.

"Then trust me when I say this, you're my endgame Olivia Carolyn Pope, and that includes a great bonus that gets me a daughter"

"I trust you Fitz, I promise…." She kept her face buried in his neck, but she knew he could still hear her. "I promise we're worth it"

"I know you are. You're worth everything Livvie. And don't worry so much, I know you and Abby have Huck who's really helping, but I do have some people on my side ya know? My dad was Mayor once before" he leaned to the side causing her head to come out from its hiding place and smirked. He knew that on more than one occasion his father had talked Olivia's ear off about his time as Mayor, but she adored talking politics with him. She was about the only one who did, and his father adored her for indulging him.

"Fitz, I don't want to get your parents involved.."

"Excuse me? The phone call I got yesterday from my father lets me know they'd want to be involved, with or without your permission"

"What phone call?"

"_Fitzgerald, how are Olivia and my grandbaby doing? You could bring them 'round during the week ya know?"_

"_Dad..what… she's not.. you can't just assume.."_

"_Oh nonsense Fitzgerald, quit while you're ahead before your mother hears that jibber jabber. That's our first grandbaby, and we want to see her and her mother more. Now you make that happen and don't think of showing your face over here without them. We bought Maddie-Cakes a few books and a kitchen set, so step on the gas son. These toys won't play by themselves now"_

Olivia threw her head back laughing before bringing her chin to rest on his chest while she looked Fitz in the eyes, realizing how wrong she was. "I love your parents, and so does Maddie. They're really good to us"

"Well, I want my dad to call some of his friends in very high places and get to the bottom of this."

"Fitz, he's dangerous, like really dangerous, I've heard things and witnessed him basically threaten to have someone skinned alive if he didn't get a phone call. He's crazy and I don't want him to hurt any of you or take anything out on Madison or me"

"Hey, don't be afraid of him Livvie, trust me when I say I will always protect you and Madison. He won't' lay a finger on either of you ever again"

She nodded and leaned up to kiss him quickly. "Abby wants me to meet her and Huck tonight. They didn't say what they found, but Huck's been following Jake and picking through every piece of his life that he can find, so I'm guessing they found something worth telling me."

"I want to be there. Is it too late to ask Quinn to watch Mads? Or my parents can if that's okay with you. I just want to be there with you."

"I'll ask Quinn, and if not then as long as your parents are ok with it, that's fine. How long has she been asleep?"

"Just about an hour. I had to send a few emails and she passed out in my lap. I kinda wore her out when we went shopping today" he gave her a blushing, sheepish smile.

"Shopping? Oh god, please don't tell me your bedroom is filled with more toys"

Finally releasing Olivia from his embrace, Fitz took a step back before running a hand through his hair.

"No, don't do that, you know what those curl do to me. Answer the question, what did you buy today Fitz?"

Fitz thanked his lucky stars when he saw the door to his room slowly creep open and Madison walked out the room rubbing her eyes with one hand and holding her lovey at her side. When Olivia noticed his attention was elsewhere, she followed his gaze down the hall and crouched down opening her arms, craving a hug from her daughter.

"Hi mommy" she made it to Liv and laid her head against her shoulder, yawning quietly.

"Hi baby, did you have a good nap?"

She nodded her head slowly before looking up with a smile spread wide across her face "Yes, in my bed mommy"

"In Fitz's bed. You had a good nap in Fit's bed right?"

Shaking her head, she looked over at Fitz who had one hand bawled into a fist in between his teeth, "No Fence gots me my new bed mommy. Let me show you!"

Olivia turned to look at Fitz as Madison squirmed out of her arms. The little girl took a hold of her mother's hand and pulled her down the hallway and into the bedroom before she let go of her hand and dived onto the tiny toddler bed covered in a purple sheet set that had white dots all over it.

"ta-da! Do you love it mommy?" she was bouncing on her knees waiting for an answer.

Olivia smiled at her daughter and nodded her head before moving towards Fitz who was leaning against the door frame waiting to see her reaction. All Olivia did was wrap her arms around his neck, and bring her lips to the back of his ear before laying a kiss there. Her fingers moved through the short curls at the back of his head and she felt his body relax against hers.

"So I take it you're not mad"

"Nope, not mad. Does it fit through the door?"

"Huh?"

"We are so moving that bed into the office by the weekend"

"Are you saying what I think you're saying Livvie" his hands circled her waist, mindful to keep them higher than he normally would with Madison in the room. "Do we need the room?"

"We need the room" she whispered against his lips before giving in and kissing him fully. They didn't take it too far, just a couple of full lip locks.

"Mommy what are you doing" Madison tugged at her shirt shyly. She had never seen her mother kissing someone before until Fitz came along.

"I was kissing Fitz sweetie" she wasn't sure what else to say to her, but didn't want to lie about it- her daughter wasn't stupid.

"Why"

"Because mommy loves him very much, and I know he loves me too"

"Okay… can I show you my new stuffy turtle Fence gots me too!"

She ran off before Olivia could even answer and Olivia reclaimed her spot in his embrace, lips nibbling on his ear lobe.

"You're spoiling _our_ daughter" she whispered quietly and felt his body slightly tremble at her words.

"You just watch…I'm gonna give _our_ daughter the world" his fingers dug into her sides and he claimed her lips with his, storing this moment away as a first of many to come.

Olivia had changed before she left the house, throwing on a pair of sweatpants, with her Duke hoodie and Ugg boots on, a thick scarf completely her look. She could make out Abby's shivering body as Fitz parked and they walked towards the apartment building. The redhead didn't say a word, but turned around and hurried to the lonesome apartment downstairs before they could fully reach her.

"Hey Abs, where's Huck?" Olivia greeted her, following through the apartment and taking her coat off. She'd never been there, so she just followed Abby's path.

"He's in the bathroom, just have a seat over there" she gestured to the couch that sat against the far wall before re- bolting all the locks. "Hey Fitz, welcome to the dungeon. Don't worry, Huck doesn't bite, and besides, he's already looked you up. You're good"

She sent him a wink, and moved to the desk that held all the information that Huck had been digging up and taking of Jake.

"Hi Olivia, Fitz." No one noticed him come out, and he went to stand right next to Abby, who handed him a blank folder.

"Hi Huck, this is Fitz as you know. Thank you so much for this, I really appreciate- we really appreciate it."

"No need to thank me. Madison is getting big." He didn't say anything else.

"So Liv, Huck's been digging his way to China searching for dirt of Jake and why he always seems so confident in never being caught. I mean he always acts as though he would never lose custody of Madison and that he has no worries."

"It's because he has the courts in his pocket" Liv didn't want to think about Jake possibly always being in their lives and having any say over her daughter. "We already know this. How do we stop him? I want his parental rights terminated, that's what I need help with"

"Ok, we found a lot of information that could possibly help with that, but we still have a bigger problem. Before we get to that, I need everything you tell me to be 100% fact. No embellishments, no biased opinions, just fact. Can you do that?"

Huck knew she would go to any lengths for Madison, but in order for him to do what she wanted, he at least needed to know the truth about everything.

"You know I'll do anything I have to Huck. I can be completely honest"

"Alright so I don't want you to say anything now, but I will list off the accusations that he has kept documented about you. Infidelity while you were engaged. Post-pardom depression, he documented that you were not nurturing to Madison and that he took care of her the first three months after she was born. Your umm, your milk came in fine, but you refused to breast feed her. You drank a lot when she was an infant. He claims that the insurance policy that your parents left was embezzled and a trust fund for Harrison and yourself was kept by you only."

"Stop" Olivia didn't want to interrupt Huck, but she could no longer listen to the bullshit lies that had her name attached to them. "I hate him. I swear I hate everything about him, that is a lie, I never.."

"Liv, you don't need to explain anything to us, we know he's lying! Hell, I know that shit isn't true" Abby Interrupted her friend, seeing how much these accusations were bothering her.

"Olivia, you don't need to worry about the things he's saying. It'll be his word over anyone that could testify for you. I have enough evidence of unlawfulness on his part. That's not what I'm worried about"

"What are you worried about Huck" Fitz finally spoke up. He sat there holding Olivia's hand tightly, rubbing her thigh with his other hand.

"Olivia you said that Jake has Anti-Social Personality Disorder and was at one point getting help and treatment for it, including prescriptions."

She didn't speak, but nodded her head.

"Liv" Abby started, and sat down on the other side of her. "I don't know how he did this, but Jake had everything put in your name."

"What do you mean" Olivia looked at her shocked, not fully understanding what she was saying to her.

"The anti-depressants, the anxiety meds, and tons more that you probably didn't even realize he was taking, they're all under your name as if you're the one with the problem and getting medical help for it. I have no clue how he did this, but it's documented in every registry. He must have a doctor and pharmacists in his pocket because they are giving him these prescriptions with your name on it which is illegal…"

"Unless the doctor gave him a waiver form he can present that allows him to pick up Olivia's medication" Fitz said knowing where Huck was going with his statement. He wrote them occasionally for elderly people he'd had under his care in the ER, making sure that a certain person would be allowed to pick up their medications for them.

"I'm still searching for a paper trail, or someone that would owe him enough to keep this going for so long." Huck had gone to grab a bottle of water from the fridge and handed it to Olivia.

"How long have the medications been in my name?" Olivia stood up and looked through the files that were out on the desk. They dated as far back as mock trials that Jake had presented in Law School.

"Since he first started, about three years ago"

"Three years? That's not possible. He didn't start taking anything until I threatened to leave him, Maddie wasn't even two years old then."

"It doesn't really matter, what matters is now that we know he has this information, I need you to play by his rules a little longer before I can find who this doctor is. Because right now he has you painted as a pill popping, crazy woman who is a danger to his child, and he has every medication known to man with your name on it and the law on his side. Let me fix this for you Olivia"

"We will handle this Olivia"

"I want to be kept in the loop. I can't not know what's going on…. it's Maddie, Abby" All three of them could hear the crack in her voice and their heart broke for her knowing how strong she was being in all this. They all hoped it would be over soon enough.

"Over a cliff Liv."

That was all Abby needed to say and goodbyes were given and Olivia and Fitz made their way outside of the apartment. After opening the door for her, and waiting for her to get in, Fitz took his place in the drivers' seat and started the car then waited for it to warm up.

He looked over at Olivia, and held out his hand for her to take.

"Livvie"

"Don't Fitz, I'm ok, and I'm not just saying that, I really am okay. I have to trust that Abby loves Madison like she is her own and that she or Huck won't let him get away with this and hurt my baby in the long run. I have to trust that.

"I know that you're okay Livvie, that's not what I was going to say."

She smiled sheepishly at him and finally let her hand fall into his and intertwining their fingers before turning in the seat to face him.

"I forget how much you do in fact know me"

"I know you because you let me know you. But I wanted to talk to you about something, and before you start to disagree, and fight me on it and give me a million reasons to say no, I want you to leave everything with Jake going on out of your mind. Let's pretend that he isn't in the picture at all okay? Can you do that for me?"

"I can do that. Now land your plane Fitz." she nodded once, wondering where he was going with this.

"We told Quinn we'd be there to pick up.." he glanced at the time on the dashboard. "not for another hour. Will you go someplace with me?"

"Where are we going?"

"The lease is up in my apartment in March, and originally I was going to keep renewing ya know? I didn't have a reason to not stay there, but now.."he took a deep breath before continuing. "Remember Livvie, take him out of the picture. I want.."

"I want to move in with you"

The look on his face was priceless, and she couldn't help but kiss him, making his opened jaw close and respond.

"You want to move in with me?"

"I know that everything you were going to say to talk me into moving in with you, would be true, and make so much sense, so instead of fighting you and having you talk me into this, I want to take that next step myself"

"Are you sure? I didn't exactly expect you to say yes" he said chuckling and kissing her knuckles.

"I'm scared shitless, I'm worried about him finding out, I'm not sure if we're moving too fast but I also know that this is where I belong; where me and Maddie belong. We belong with you forever Fitz, so why can't forever start now."

Fitzgerald Grant didn't blush, but somehow the woman in front of him made him blush constantly and he couldn't control it if he tried.

"Do you wanna see the house?"

"A house? I thought we were going to move into a bigger apartment, not a house"

"Livvie, I'm not starting our future together in an apartment. Madison deserves the best that we- you and me together can give her, so we are getting a house, and I think I've found the perfect one. I want you to see it, and if you don't like it, we can keep looking. I want this to be _our_ home, one all of us fall in love with"

"There are only a few things that I want our home to have Fitz, four things to be exact."

"What are they"

"I want a fireplace so that we can have movie night cuddled on the couch as a family when it's cold; drinking hot coco and eating popcorn .."

"And goldfish"

"And goldfish of course. I want us to have a large tub in our bathroom" moving closer so that her lips slightly rubbed against his, she whispered to him, "the last two things are a deal breaker"

"Anything you want" he was putty in her hands and knew she could say anything and he would make it happen.

"I want a beautiful backyard to marry you in, and lastly, I want four bedrooms so we can fill our house with babies"

"You wanna have babies with me" heh couldn't stop his tongue from tasting her bottom lip and biting it afterwards.

"uh huh," she agreed. "Two babies, I think" she smiled against his lips when he came at her full force, devouring her mouth and pulling her closer to him.

"I love you, you beautiful, brilliant, smart, funny delish woman" he moved his kisses to her neck before she completely pulled away and yanked on her seatbelt.

"Save your energy sexy because you are most definitely going to need it tonight."


	7. Chapter 6

_Her lips, her lips  
I could kiss them all day if she'd let me  
Her laugh, her laugh  
She hates but I think it's so sexy  
She's so beautiful  
And I tell her everyday,_

_Oh you know, you know, you know  
I'd never ask you to change  
If perfect's what you're searching for  
Then just stay the same  
So don't even bother asking if you look okay  
You know I'll say,_

**Just The Way You Are- Bruno Mars**

**This chapter will have plenty of flashbacks that will be **_**italicized **_**and what's in normal font, is the present. So be very aware of the change because the page breaks just might not work.**

"_Be careful with her!" _

_Olivia continued to shout the same order every time Harrison and Madison made their way around the rink and they were close enough to hear her. When they first told Harrison they wanted to take Madison iceskating, they pictured themselves skating with Madison in between them, clutching their hands as they did a family activity they would remember forever. Harrison however made it clear that only a real New Yorker- himself- would be teaching his niece to ice skate. _

_Fitz chuckled under his breath, grabbing the Styrofoam cup from her hand and helped himself to a steamy gulp of her hot chocolate._

"_Your distractions aren't working anymore babe, and this cup is basically yours now" she didn't accept the cup back when he tried to hand it over. "I can't help but worry that she's going to get hurt. This is her first time, and he won't slow the hell down"_

"_Livvie, look at her, she's having a blast. She loves it and it's obvious she doesn't want to slow down." He sat the cup to the right of his feet, subconsciously remembering not to kick it over before turning sideways, and pulling her closer in his arms. _

"_He just has to be the cool uncle. And the name he has her calling him now is ridiculous"_

"_I think it's hilarious. And he kinda is her only uncle, so he has to be the cool one."_

"_Uncle Boss, Fitz! He has her calling him Uncle Boss. What the hell kind of name is that? He used to love being called Uncle Harry. New York has ruined him."_

"_Well, he's 25 years old, plus working in the film industry, so what do you expect?"_

_He laughed out loud in her ear and she moved away slightly, before playfully pushing against his chest. Fitz moved closer to her so that she was trapped between his body and the arm of the bench. Grabbing at her thick infinity scarf, he found an opening between the layered fabric and brought his lips to the skin that he found, then buried his nose in the scarf, continuing to leave wet, open mouth kisses in the same spot. Olivia moved against him, until his arms closed around her waist and brought her onto his lap. She squealed when she immediately felt him rock hard beneath her and purposely grinded her ass on him, causing him to pull away from her neck and lift her hips and deposit her right back on the bench. He pushed his way to the other end and grabbed a hold of Madison's small backpack to sit in his lap, covering up his erection. Olivia looked on and laughed as he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and run his glove covered hands over his face trying to calm down. She had warned him of the cold weather in New York and found herself very pleased with what he was wearing. The dark grey pea coat and wool scarf made his eyes stand out, more blue-er than she'd ever seen them. They'd rummaged through the airport to find him a pair of leather gloves before they even thought about getting their rental car, and Fitz was grateful that Olivia had remembered. _

"_Mommy! Did you see me, I skated with Uncle Boss! We went so fast and I did so sogood! Fence did you see me!?" her squeals and smile were contagious as she clamored closer to them, Harrison walking behind her and holding on to her forearms to be sure she didn't fall in the ice skates. _

"_We did see you sweetie, you did so good." Olivia smiled as Harrison plopped down in the middle of the bench and hoisted Madison onto his lap. He shook his head, when she immediately, turned herself towards Fitz and made it clear she wanted to sit with him. Knowing his lower anatomy was completely calm, he moved the backpack and took the girl into his arms, affectionately kissing her cheeks playfully, making her giggle. _

"_Fennnnnceeee, no tickles" she said when his fingers moved to loosen the scarf around her neck, subsequently tickling her neck. He gave her a few more pokes before stopping and hugging her close to him, warming the little girl up. She wrapped her one arm around his neck, the other taking its place on his shoulder while her fingers played with his ear. He didn't know what her fascination about his ears were, but anytime he held her lately, one hand always made its way to his ear, pulling on it and just touching it for a minute or so before she would stop. It usually happened when she was tired, or if she hadn't seen him all day and she was finally in his arms. _

"_Ugh" Harrison scoffed turning to Olivia. "I've been downgraded by my own niece for your boyfriend. That aint even cool"_

"_Oh stop it, she loves her favorite Uncle Harrison, and you know it" she said using his actual name and elbowed him gently, but her eyes and attention were locked on Fitz and Madison._

"_You too?" he said knowing that he didn't have her full attention. "Well, I guess I can't be too mad. I'm happy for you Livia. I know you've talked him up like crazy the past few months, and the brief time we did meet was cool, but after being around y'all for just two days, I can only be really happy for you."_

_Her eyes were no longer focused on Fitz and Madison, but were locked on Harrison's serious expression, reading him. "You really mean that? What… would Ma like him Harry?" she whispered and Harrison noticed the tears forming in her eyes. Throwing left his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her closer and she burrowed into his shoulder, letting a few tears fall on his North Face coat._

"_Ma would love him Livia. He loves you like crazy, treats Madison like she's his own kid, and from the hotel he has you guys posted up at, it's obvious he can take care of you both"_

"_Hey now, we're going half-sies on the hotel. My rule! I don't need a man to provide for us financially, you know that."_

"_Miss Independent, she got her own thing, that's why I love her" he started to sing teasingly. _

"_Shut it Ne-Yo. But really, I don't need him to take care of us that way. It's all the other ways I want and need. He loves us so immensely, and I want to be selfish with that- Madison deserves that, I deserve that. We both deserve that."_

"_You do Livia"_

"_Hey guys, I think it might be time for a late lunch and a N-A-P. You guys wanna get going?"_

_They glanced over at the two and took in Madison's posture. She had her body tucked into Fitz's chest with her hands burrowed between her body and his chest. She wasn't asleep, she just stared out at the other familes still skating, looking completely comfortable. _

"_She's so content with him Livia. I approve a thousand percent. Let's get out of here Grant" he started unlacing his ice skates while Fitz turned Madison around to unlace hers and once Olivia took both pair over to the rental booth, they were hailing a cab and making their way back towards the hotel._

_Their stay in NYC lasted five days and they loved every second they were able to spend with each other. Most of the time they spent time with Harrison exploring the city and taking Madison to places they knew she'd love. Fitz insisted that she get her very first American Girl doll, and Olivia let them have their time together while she spent some much needed time with her little brother. He took her all over his school and his favorite theaters and filming spots and they grabbed lunch and talked about their parents. It was normal for them to talk about their parents when they got to see each other, and reliving Christmas memories were a must. Their mother always made sure they had the best holidays, and it had more to do with being with one another than gift giving or receiving. Harrison had one small theater play he was performing in, and with no one to watch Madison, Fitz made it clear that Olivia would go while he took care of Madison. He wasn't going to let her miss Harrison in his element; he knew how proud she was of him for going after his dream. They all had dinner later that night with Stephen joining them, very happy to see Olivia and finally meet Madison. _

_The little girl had spent most of the day with Fitz, and he felt honored every time someone would complement him on "his beautiful daughter." He never felt as though he should correct them, because to him, Madison was his little girl. There had been some looks sent their way if someone made such a comment but then heard Madison refer to him as "Fence" but he just ignored them, not making a big deal about it. Fitz knew what the cold did for children with asthma, so he was sure to not keep Madison walking too much outside when he took her out. The cold air was definitely good for her lungs, but the amount of walking a typical New Yorker did wasn't meant for her to do. For the majority of the day, she was hoisted up against his chest, his arm under her thighs, keeping her perched there. She used to let him hold her on his hip, but she made it clear she wanted to be tall like he was, so he indulged her, knowing one day she would be too big to keep perched day he wouldn't be able to carry her at all because she would grow up and he found himself dreading the thought. She had already grown since he'd known her. He noticed that he didn't have to bend down even a little while holding her hand which wasn't the case before. They played at the American Girl store for a while and when he could tell that she was getting tired, they caught a cab back to the hotel and he laid down with her, reading her favorite book they'd bought along for her. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep and Fitz found himself watching her, becoming almost sad at the thought of her growing up, and learning how cruel the world could really be. He didn't want any harm to ever come to her, and knew he had to make it his priority to see that Jake would never hurt her. He wasn't sure if he could handle knowing Jake had the power to destroy his entire world. Both her and Olivia deserved stability and love more than anything and he wanted them both to have it, especially Madison and he knew the best way to give her some sense of that but it would be up to her. He also imagined what a child of his and Olivia's would look like and how much they would resemble their older sister. On one hand he wanted a bunch of little girls with Olivia, but thinking of keeping them away from hungry boys made him rethink his wishes. _

_Two days later, just a few hours before they needed to leave for the airport, Fitz and Olivia talked to Madison about some changes that would be happening soon. They knew after deciding to move in together that things would be changing quickly, and they wanted to keep her in the loop with enough warning and preparation. The night before, they cuddled with Madison on the pull out couch and once she was asleep, they went into the bedroom where they had been sleeping and Fitz brought up wanting to talk to Madison about them moving in together. Olivia understood about wanting to prepare Madison for the move instead of throwing her into whatever plans they made. She was a person with feelings and emotions and they wouldn't treat her like she wasn't an important part of their family whose opinion didn't mattered. Olivia also knew the dangers of letting a nearly four year old know something you didn't want to make public news. Fitz' argument was that Abby accompanied Madison to every visit, so knowing that she would be there to act as a buffer for conversation gave Olivia a better feeling about her possibly spilling the beans._

_Walking over to the couch that was still unfolded into the bed Madison had been sleeping on, Fitz and Olivia sat ono either side of the little girl that was laying on her stomach with her hands cupping her cheeks to support her head while she watched a movie on Fitz's IPad. Her tight, ringlet curls were held away from her face by a yellow headband with a large purple flower on the right hand side of it. Olivia reached over and paused Frozen, immediately sending Madison a disapproving look when the little girl protested with a whine._

"_Mads, me and your mommy want to talk with you about something, you can watch your movie when we get on the plane okay?"_

_Sitting up, she pushed a stubborn curl away from her eyes and crawled into Fitz's lap, letting them both know who she saw as the good guy in the situation. Olivia looked away stifling the laugh that tried to escape at the face her daughter was sending her way. She'd given those looks to people before and could tell her daughter had not only picked up on it, but had mastered it. _

"_Baby, you know how you and Fitz went shopping and he bought you a bed for his house?"_

_She nodded her head, leaning further back into his embrace while she played with his fingers. "And my purpley dot sheets"_

"_Yes, your polka-dot sheets are awesome"_

"_Mads, in a couple of months, I'm going to be moving from that house and I won't be living there anymore"_

"_Why are you leaving? Where will your bed go?" she tilted her head back to look at him, her curls bunching against his chest as her doe eyes bore into him. _

"_I'm going to move into a new house, a big house with a lot more rooms and my bed and all my things are going to go there"_

"_But can me and mommy come to your new house?" She had tears in her eyes, thinking she wouldn't be able to sleep at his house anymore. It had become such a home to her, and Fitz had quickly become a fixture in their lives. _

"_Well,I really would love it if you and your mommy moved into the house with me"_

"_And have more sleepovers?"_

"_Baby, we wouldn't have little sleepovers anymore. You remember how we took all of our stuff and moved to Aunt Abby's house with her? Well if we want, this time we can take all of our stuff and move to Fitz's new house and it'll be our new house too"_

"_And then whose house will we move to?"_

"_No one's baby, we would stay all living together in the new house" Olivia really hoped that this would make sense to her little girl, but wondered if it would really start to sink in once it was actually happen and she could see it._

"_We will all move into one house and be a family. You, me and mommy"_

"_Will you be the daddy now?"_

_They both were shocked to hear the words from her mouth, and weren't sure who should answer the question, but Fitz decided since it was directed towards him, that he would._

"_Well Mad's, that's a big girl choice I think you can make. You and mommy are gonna live with me now, and we're gonna be a family together and I love you very much"_

"_I love you very much too. When can me and mommy move to your new house?"_

_Fitz had to take a moment and remember to breathe. His eyes had definitely welled up with tears and he noticed Olivia's filling just as fast. Madison had never said she loved him, and although they both knew she did, hearing those words changed everything. _

"_We will move there in a couple of months sweetie, but when we go back home we are going to start packing up some of our things in boxes. But since we're not moving just yet, we want it to be a surprise to everyone else, so can you keep it a secret just for yourself?"_

"_A secret?" she whispered, loving secrets._

"_Yep, a secret" Olivia agreed, widening her eyes to play along with the little girls' theatrics._

"_Can I tell Aunt Abby"_

"_Yes, we can tell Aunt Abby, but no one else"_

"_And not daddy too?"_

"_No baby, we're not gonna tell daddy ok"_

"_He will be mad" she turned herself around in Fitz' lap and hugged his neck, one hand playing with his ear as usual. "When we move into the new house can you be the new daddy Fence?"_

_Squeezing her tightly to his body, Fitz left kisses on her cheek and forehead, repeating the actions until the lump in his throat cleared. "Yes, baby. I want to be the daddy for sure. And you know what, I'm gonna be the best daddy in the world for you"_

"_Can your name be daddy now?" her face was pressed against his neck, but she leaned back to look at him before asking that question and he toughened up, making sure not to break down. These were the moments he had been hoping and dreaming of. _

"_You can call me whatever name you want sweet girl"_

_She smiled brightly at him and was quick to dive back onto the pullout and grab at the IPad her mother had taken on minutes ago. "Can we go to ride the plane now?"_

_Fitz and Olivia looked at each other, and busted out laughing at her innocence. They were both still trying to catch their breath and come down from the high they just experienced. Madison had no idea that she just made Fitz' year by asking those specific questions and that all he wanted to really do was hold the both of them in his arms and never let go. _

"_How about we pack up and go say bye to your Uncle Boss one last time before we go to the airport?" Fitz suggested and when Madison agreed, they got to packing up, then left to see Harrison for only a half hour and were off to the airport to catch their flight. _

"Why are we even talking about this anymore? Help me understand Fitzgerald"

"Oh so now I'm Fitzgerald? You've been hanging around my father a little too much Olivia" he said taken aback. He was tired of having the same argument with her and didn't know what would make her listen.

"Well if you want I can refer to you as Thomas when I'm pissed off, if that would help" taking a breath, she turned around and grabbed the water bottle from the counter, and glanced at the realtor that was making her way back inside the house with a stack of papers they were meant to sign.

"Livvie, just let me do this"

"Fitz, why can't we just do fifty-fifty now? I don't see what the big deal is. You say you want to get married one day, well that's what married people do, they split things, they divide things, and they purchase homes together."

"But we talked about this and.."

"No we did not talk about this. We were talking about this the other day when you brought it up while we were taking a bath. A bath Fitz, meaning you seduced me into agreeing to anything you said without me even knowing so don't pull that "we talked about this" crap. I don't need you to buy this house for us, I don't. I know you make good money, and I know that I'm a school teacher, but I also know, as well as you do that I have more than enough savings, a trust fund for Madison _and_ an inheritance check that I've never touched. As your girlfriend, your future fiancé, and future wife, I ask that you trust me and respect me enough to be your equal. I need you to do that for me and to honestly mean it Fitz"

He wasn't able to respond to her because their realtor was clearing her throat, hoping that things were sorted out. "Alright, so how are we doing this?"

"Olivia and I are both going to write you a check for the full payment, and I will write a separate one for the closing costs."

"The full price upfront?" she asked shocked. There weren't too many buyers that did that.

"Yes, upfront"

Olivia mouthed the words "thank you" to him and they both followed her over to the table and for the next thirty minutes, they signed the paperwork for their first home.

"You guys are all set. This is your copy," she handed them a stack of papers, placing her own stack in the folder she carried. "You signed off on the final walk through, so the items out back are your responsibility to get rid of, and in return the closing costs were brought down by three hundred. The heating system was replaced as you requested and inspection approved it. These are your keys, and you two are set to start moving in as you please. Congratulations on your first house."

They shook her hands and when she was gone, they stared at each other, silently speaking to one another, in awe of hat just happened and the step they had just taken. Fitz moved closer to her, and lifted Olivia onto the island in their new kitchen and she wrapped her arms around him, her legs following suit and they held one another for a long time.

"Is this real"

The whisper against his neck made Fitz tighten his hold on her and he stepped back, lifting her body from the counter, one hand going to the bottom of her legging covered ass, partially keeping her up, and partially pleasing himself feeling the curve he loved so much.

"This is so real baby. We have a house, and me, you and Maddie are going to make it our home." He kissed her feverishly, and not being able to stand still, he walked throughout the downstairs navigating nearly blindly through the house.

"We…. really….need to….get back….to..oh god, Fitz… your parents… Maddie…. We need to…" she bit his bottom lip much harder than she should have and he pulled away fast, letting out a disapproving groan, and pinched her ass as a payback.

"Dammit Livvie" he touched his hand to his lip to see if she had drawn blood and was happy to only see the smudged color of her lip gloss on his hand. It wouldn't be the first time she'd drawn blood with the biting she constantly did.

"Hey now," she took a hold of his chin. "You're the one that promised to tuck her in and read her a bedtime story. Your parents could've done that just fine, but you promised, and although I know they're going to let her stay up past her bedtime, we need to head back to their house. First thing in the morning, we're officially in packing mode. We have less than five weeks to be out of the apartment, and get moved into the new house, and with class starting back next week, and your conference, I want to get a lot done before we're scrambling for help because our schedules are packed."

"Okay, I get that, and you're right but why the rush for tonight?"

"Because I want to get her tucked in and while she's actually wanting to spend the night someplace other than Abby's, I want us to take full advantage of that and celebrate. You remember what happened last time, so if there's even a slight chance that we'll get a call at midnight to come get her, I want to make use of the next few hours."

Fitz agreed knowing she had a point. The first time they'd let Madison sleep over Fitz' parents' house, they'd gotten a phone call just hours after they'd left saying that Madison was hysterical, and crying for Olivia saying she wanted to go home. They'd gone to get her right away, not understanding why she would react in such a way. They had brought her back home and she clung to Olivia, completely ignoring Fitz, and wanting only her mother that night. The only reason Olivia knew the cause of her actions, was when Madison's fingers ended up in her mouth that night and stayed that way for the next few days. The last time that had happened was when she'd awakened at Jake's house and eaten food with nuts, causing her to go into anaphylaxis. Waking up scared in the hospital with only Jake and the strange lady he'd brought, by her side, she'd retreated back into infancy and Olivia could only guess waking up in the unfamiliar bedroom at the Grant's caused the same fear.

The fact that she asked to spend the night over their house gave both Olivia and Fitz confidence that she might be ready to actually go through with it. It wasn't easy since they lived a good twenty-five minutes from each other, but they knew that if they had to go and get her in the middle of the night this time, they would hold off on sleepovers until they could all sleepover together.

"Alrighty then, let's get going"

She laughed when he drummed his hands against her ass, and she perched herself higher above him. Resting her hands on his hair, she rested her chin on top of her hands, his face buried in her breast leaving kisses on the fabric of her thick long sweater.

"Stop drumming my ass, baby"

"But it's my favorite, and you know it is"

She smirked above him, knowing that it really was his favorite. He had proven that to be true many times, waking her up to the feeling of his hands and lips leaving soft kisses on her curvy flesh.

"But you don't have to drum it"

"You know what I'm excited for about your ass?" He lips moved to the side of her breast, loving the feeling of her fingernails moving through his curls.

"What's that?"

"I'm excited to get you pregnant, and see it get bigger, and these hips get a little wider and"

"Doesn't sound so exciting to me. You're ready for me to get fat. It might not go your way, I was all belly with Madison"

"Oh not fat, just some…. accentuated curves. And let me tell you, Grant babies are big babies, so get ready"

"Are you going to give me some big Grant babies?"

"You know I am Livvie"

"Two babies, I think" she whispered quietly into the air, the saying becoming one she muttered often to him, smiling every time as the thought of it coming true. Wiggling against him, she lowered herself until she reached his lips and she didn't waste time devouring his mouth and seeking out his tongue.

"We have a little time" she said, not breaking away from his lips.

Olivia walked up the stairs towards the singing voices she heard at the Grant's large home, and smiled as Catherine lifted Madison out of the tub, wrapping her in a large purple towel with the name "Maddie-Cakes" embroidered across the length of it. Olivia had never seen the towel before, but had gotten used to seeing new things that suddenly belonged to her daughter when it came to her soon to be in-laws. She stood at the door watching them both for a few seconds, becoming near emotional in two different ways. In one way her heart broke knowing her mother would never have the opportunity to love on her little girl, and be the doting grandmother, and the other way counted her blessings for who Catherine and Jerry were to her little girl. The fact that nothing was set in stone yet, and logistics weren't close to being finalized didn't matter to the couple. They had welcomed them both with open arms, and Olivia loved them more for the way they treated her little girl.

"Mommy!" Madison screeched finally noticing Olivia standing there. Catherine was quick to lift her from the small vanity stool she had stood her on to dry her off, and the little one scurried into her mother's arms, her curls dripping wet.

"Hi sweet girl, are you having fun and being good?"

"Yes, Grammy gaved me a bath, and Poppy is going to have assert ready when I'm done"

"DESSERT honey, not assert. That sounds very yummy. Can you let Grammy finish while I go say hi to Poppy"

She nodded her head, wetting Olivia even more and hopped back over to the stool and sat down. Olivia waited at the doorway for a second and watched Catherine tend to her little girl and smiled. Olivia thought back to the first time she had given her a bath at The Grants house and Catherine insisted on watching her tend to Madisons' curls. She told her, "I'm going to need to know what to do soon enough. We have sleepovers to plan, and I sure hope this one has some siblings sooner, rather than later. I need to know these things Liv"

Catherine got a good amount of coconut oil and ran her fingers through the curls, easing the knots she encountered, trying her best to not make Madison flinch. She was getting better at it. The first time had the little girl in near tears, but she had improved. When she was done being lathered- both hair, and body, she put the little girls' pajamas on, and carried her down the steps.

"Mommy, where's daddy?" she said seeing Olivia at the bottom of the steps.

It still caught Olivia off guard hearing Madison use the word "daddy" and she had to take a moment to think every time it happened. Since their talk with her in New York, Madison took it upon herself to refer to Fitz in whichever word came out first. There wasn't one that she used more over the other, either "daddy" came out, or "Fence" came out. They explained to her again that she could call him whatever she wanted to, and also explained to her in the most gentle way possible that Jake, "daddy" might not like that she was getting a new daddy, and that she shouldn't talk to him about Fitz. They honestly weren't sure how much of it she understood, but knew they couldn't dwell of the "what ifs". She was nearly four and they felt as though they were making her lie about her own family, but they really saw no other way around it. Jake had so many tricks up his sleeve, but they knew they couldn't walk around on eggshells, terrified of what he might do if Maddie let it slip out that she was getting a new daddy.

"He's in the kitchen with Poppy" she wiggled out of Catherine's arms and took off running to the kitchen, and both ladies heard the "oof" and imagined Madison throwing herself against Fitz' chest.

They finally reached the kitchen as Fitz pulled back from kissing Madison's forehead, then her cheek before smooshing her small body to his in a tight hug.

"Alright, we've got your cookies, and some milk. Let's do dessert, and then story time okay?"

"Ok" she bounced in his arms and he could only smile at her excitement.

He walked them over to the stool that sat at the breakfast bar and sat her on the counter while he took the seat in front of her. Reaching for three Oatmeal Raisin cookies, he sat them on a small saucer his mom handed to him and smiled a thank you when she sat down a small cup of milk for Madison.

"One for me" Madison started.

"One for me" Fitz continued.

"And then we share" they both spoke, smiling at one another. Pretty much every night, their dessert was the same.

Olivia rolled her eyes playfully, imagining how much they would really gang up on her with their cuteness once they were moved into the new house together.

Thirty minutes later, the potty was used, teeth were brushed, andGuess How Much I Love You was read twice, before Madison was passed out, tucked into Fitz' side.

Olivia, who sat on the other side of her, kissed the girls' head before easing her down onto the pillow and tucked the covers around her. Fitz slowly got up, not wanting to wake her and laid the lovey just under her chin before kissing her cheek and following closely behind Olivia and exiting the room.

"AHHH. Fuck baby, that one hurt" Olivia said in between labored breaths after her back hit the wall that led to the bedroom at Fitz' apartment. She had tortured him with deliberate, menacing touches the entire way home and he had a lot of pent up frustration and energy to let out on her.

"And that shit you pulled in the car _didn't_ hurt Livvie? You know what that did to me. You can feel what that did to me can't you?" he grinded his erection into her center while sucking on her neck, pushing harder when he felt her trembling against him.

"I need to feel you Fitz" her whimpers were low, but she knew he could hear them.

"You can feel me when I'm done with you"

Pulling one hand away from her ass, his fingers unbuttoned her jeans and had the zipper down before working his hand into her panties.

"Fuck these tight as jeans Livvie" he moved away from her, making her legs fall from his hips so he could pull them down her legs.

Hiking her back up against the wall, he plunged two fingers deep into her dripping core before she had the chance to prepare herself. He looked up to see her face and felt his dick pulsate at the sight of her mouth wide open and her eyes squeezed tightly shut. He leaned forward covering her mouth with his own and licked the inside of her mouth, her lips closing immediately over his, tasting as much of him as she could. He began to move his tongue in sync with his fingers, doing most of the work when her jaw went slack and her mouth remained opened, letting him explore her without interruption. Gripping his shoulders with both hands, Olivia drove her hips into his fingers, mewling when she felt his thumb glide over her clit every few seconds.

"Baby, go faster, I'm almost there….. oh god, don't.."

Fitz stopped his fingers without warning, and watched her face show complete disapproval.

"You're not getting off that easy"

Latching back on to her waist, he walked them back to the bedroom and dropped her on the bed, immediately spreading her legs open for him to see her glistening pussy, begging for him to play. He unbuttoned his pants, and let them along with his boxer briefs slide down his hips before crawling on top of her, her body summoning him. Taking both of her wrists in his left hand, he brought them above her head, pinning them there and taking full control.

She whimpered at the feeling of his body pressed so heavily against hers. Feeling his abs against hers, his chest pressed into her breast, his balls rested atop her swollen lips, and his dick bobbed at her navel, making her tremble. He was just so big, and she couldn't wait any longer.

"Baby, put it in" she moved her lips over his, but he pulled away and shook his head.

"What did I tell you Livvie" he didn't wait for her to respond and attached his mouth to her right breast, sucking and nipping at it. He felt her nipple go hard against the back of his tongue, and retracted a bit to take it in his mouth, feasting on the brown bud. He felt her fingernails dig into the skin of his hand and he bit harder on the nipple until she screamed and thrust her hips higher into his, then he moved to her left breast giving it the same attention.

"I can't… Fitz, please" She could only see the top of his hair that was curling even more from the sweat he was working up.

"You can cum when I'm ready for you to cum Livvie" he kissed the crevice between her breast, noticing how heavy she was now breathing. Moving lower, her pushed her legs even further apart, splaying his hands on her inner thighs to keep them from moving, and took one long lick up her pussy, pushing the tip of his tongue into her core before quickly removing it and licking the rest of the way up. He repeated the trail a few more time before looking up at her glistening eyes with his mouth still against her clit and spoke, his lips vibrating on her. "Cum Livvie"

It only took a second for his face to be washed with her essence. Her hands pushed his head further into her, while her thighs held him tightly in place, her toes curling. When he felt her thighs loosen against him, he peeked up at her and noticed how swollen her lips were due to her own assault on them while trying not to cum until he let her. He loved watching her face. Seeing that she was still savoring her orgasm, riding it out till the very end, he dove back in, pushing his tongue as far as he could into her heat, making her scream and arch her back off the bed. Just as she was about to lower self onto the bed, Fitz removed his tongue, sat up, and thrust his hardness between her slick, trembling folds. He groaned loudly, not believing how wet she was, and took a second to settle in, knowing she needed to adjust to him. Leaning forward, he rubbed his hands up her arms until his fingers were interlocked with hers and when he felt her squeeze his hands, he knew she was ready for him.

Pulling out some, he moved slowly, allowing her to take more of him in with each forward thrust, loving the way her body welcomed him home. He repeated his actions, hooking one leg high on his arm, and he finally bottomed out. He knew she was in her zone, feeling a complete high and pleasured because she had gone silent. It was her telltale that she was completely near the edge, ready and willing to go over whenever he was ready for her to. He stayed filling her, swiveling his hips in a circular motion, making her gasp each time his hips struck twelve. Being sure to stay buried deep inside her, Fitz moved his lips to hers, making her release her lips from her teeth, knowing with the way she was biting them, she'd draw blood soon. She sought out his tongue lazily, wanting to relish in the moment of being so connected with him.

"I love you so much Fitz" she sniffed and he opened his eyes to see the tears filling her brown orbs.

"You're my entire world Livvie" he continued kissing her, knowing he didn't need to comfort her. She was in her own moment; on too much of a high to even control herself.

"You ready" he spoke directly into her mouth, knowing that she knew he was ready. She only nodded once, bringing her leg down from his arm, wincing when she felt her pussy squeeze his dick tighter. Fitz gave her one final kiss on the lips before he pulled out of her and turned her over so that she stood directly in front of him and he pushed her face down on the bed and slid right back in from behind. She quickly got herself situated, arms flat on the bed along with her face pressed into the pillow he handed her. Taking a hold of her hips, he raised her ass higher, feeling her walls close tighter around him, and moved his hands higher to her ribcage, getting a better grip on her. Holding her tightly Fitz began to pound into her relentlessly, working his hips into overdrive. His ass tightened with every thrust and he reached down with one hand and played with her clit, causing her to scream out as her second orgasm hit. He felt her juices running down his balls, making him dive faster. He lifted one of his legs onto the bed, angling his thrust downward. Letting a minute pass, his thrust began to slow down and he gave her long strokes, moving deeper, feeling that familiar tingling in his balls letting him know he was near. Removing his hand from her clit, Fitz turned her face towards his licking at her lips.

"I'm so close baby. Cum Livvie"

She came hard, her hands reaching back and pulling him closer to her and he followed seconds later spilling his hot liquid deep inside of her, loving the way her walls milked him dry.

Two weeks later, Fitz sat in his car with his windows rolled up, chair slid all the way back, and lights off as he watched the scene before him. Abby parked just two spots away from the black Mercedes that Jake Ballard stood next to, and she helped the little girl out of her car seat and the pair walked towards the entrance of the Children's Science Museum with Jake following behind. Fitz knew he had to keep his place until they went inside and he was able to follow. He knew Abby was more than capable of watching after Madison and being in a public place he didn't think there was much Jake could really do, but he still didn't trust him. Before they entered, he watched Jake get down on Madison's level and speak to her, his words causing the little girl to look at Abby for a few seconds and when he noticed the red head slightly nod, _his_ little girl walked into Jake's open arms. His hold on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white from the grip he held. She moved back to take Abby's hand just before they walked in the door and Fitz made his move to exit the car. The second he opened his car door, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and heard the passenger car door open.

Huck slid into the seat calmly, closing the door and waited for Fitz to close his door as well.

"This isn't your area" his voice was dark, nearly cold, and calm, saying as though no arguments should be made.

"I'm made it my area the second Olivia walked back into my life. My family, my area.I can't just sit back and do nothing. He's going to pay for every way that he's hurt them."

"He will." Huck simply agreed. "Why did you ask me to meet you? I should be in there watching them myself. You need to make this quick"

"I have a guy that could possibly help us… he's uh..he's into Jake's kind of business, I guess. I don't know but I need you to check him out. I don't really know him, he's more of a friend of a friend"

"Fitz."

"Fine, he's an old colleague of my father's. I just need him checked out and with your approval, he's on our side."

He handed over a slip of paper with some words written on it, and Huck looked at him for what seemed like minutes before he put the paper in his pocket and glanced at his watch.

"You should go now"

"I leave in just a few hours for this conference and I'll be gone for four days. I trust you with them both Huck. I'm trusting you. Don't let anything happen to my girls Huck."

He only nodded once and Fitz knew that was all he would be getting from him. Huck left the car and Fitz watched him walk into the museum before he started his car and drove off. He had told Olivia he needed to go to the office to finish faxing over some paperwork concerning his conference but the truth was that he had to see Madison one last time knowing he would be gone before she got home. As he drove home he silently prayed that nothing would go wrong while he was away, but in the back of his mind he just knew something bad was just around the corner.


	8. Chapter 7

_Next time I'll be braver  
I'll be my own savior  
When the thunder calls for me  
Next time I'll be braver  
I'll be my own savior  
Standing on my own two feet_

_I won't let you close enough to hurt me,  
No, I won't rescue you to just desert me  
I can't give you the heart you think you gave me  
It's time to say goodbye to turning tables  
To turning tables  
Turning tables, yeah  
Turning, oh_

**Turning Tables- Adele**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Scandal or any of its characters. **

"_Alright, I'm demanding that we take a break. I need food and I need it fast!" Abby was never one for beating around the bush, and she refused to let her stomach growl one more time without giving into its wishes._

Laughing, Olivia walked out of Madison's new closet where she had been hanging up the little girls' clothes, and rolled her eyes purposefully at her friend. She had just gotten done filling the dresser drawers with clothes, and finally just had to hang her dresses, sweaters and jackets up in the closet. Madison worked quietly below her, focusing on the task of finding all the matches to her shoes and putting them in the compartments.

"Come on honey, let's go feed your crabby Auntie before she goes crazy" Madison dropped the shoes she was holding rather than placing them in the next empty spot, and followed her mother to the kitchen where Abby was digging through the fridge.

"You know it's basically empty. I say we order Chinese, Maddie, you want some Mickey nuggets?" Liv asked her daughter.

"Yes"

"And how about some apples and crackers" she had to think of what was actually in the house that she could feed her daughter and knew she'd stocked up on those after she and Madison had practically moved into the new house.

Fitz had only been gone a day, and Olivia planned to work as hard as she could to get their room and Madison's room done before he returned. Fitz was very particular about the kind of room he wanted Madison to have and his reasons behind it. The little girl hadn't had a room of her own since they'd moved out of Jake's apartment and Fitz wanted her first room in their home to be something special to her. He'd gone over designs with their realtor and got a quote for a small team to do a little bit of reconstruction in the little girls' room and two days later, he was satisfied with what had been done to make the dream room come to life and had it painted days before he left. With Abby handling the remaining décor in Madison's room, Olivia knew she'd get started on their room once lunch was over. Before he left for his trip, he'd saw to it that all the furniture from his apartment was moved to the new house along w the delivery of major appliances that had been shipped to the house and set up. The living room was easy to set up, but Liv still had small things she planned to buy that would not just make it a house, but a home for them. Pictures wouldn't be hung up until he was back home and able to assist. She'd also conquered the kitchen with the help of Quinn and Abby the night before, grateful for the Grants keeping Madison with them for the night.

One decision they made was that they wouldn't worry aboutfurnishing the guest rooms, and instead they invested in a bedroom set they both loved that would go along with the dark blue and smoke grey color scheme they'd picked out. The bed, his and hers nightstands, dressers, ottoman, were all set in place inside the room. Fitz had helped set up the bed before he left, andOlivia had been excited to choose a cushion and throw pillows for the window seat that lined the wall of half their bedroom.

"Liv, you want the beef and broccoli dinner?" she asked holdingher mouth away from the phone.

"Yes, with white rice and a spring roll. Oh, and get an order of crab wonton too" She was craving them and knew Abby would eat a couple as well.

She went to stick the nuggets in the oven and set a timer before she grabbed a couple of small boxes labeled "kitchen" and sat them on the counter to unpack. She moved around the kitchen, every once in a while peeking at Maddie that sat at the breakfast bar coloring. She noticed Abby's face and knew she was scrolling through her work emails. She hadn't gone into the office today, opting out to help her, and Olivia figured she probably had a lot of catch up on.

"If you need to run after lunch Abs, I totally get it.

She didn't look up right away, and before Olivia could speak again, she saw the way Abby was suddenly looking at her.

"The appeal went through"

"What do you mean?" she dropped the grilling utensils she was about to put away, and walked towards the redhead. Abby didn't say anything, but watched Olivia and noticed her breathing pick up as she read the email.

Olivia immediately felt the bile rise to her throat and forced the phone back into Abby's hand before she ran to the sink and began throwing up. She could hear Madison's voice calling her name, but had to block it out as her stomach did flip flop, causing her to empty the small bit of food she'd consumed for breakfast.

"Maddie, mommy's ok, her stomach is just hurting her a bit ok" She moved more crayons into the little girls' vision and turned switched her coloring books knowing that it would only slightly distract her. Walking towards the cabinets, Abby searched through them, not remembering which held the glasses. When she was on the fourth cabinet, she pulled out a glass before filling it with ice water from the fridge and walked over to Olivia and began rubbing her back.

Olivia felt light headed as she went to stand up straight, and moved to splash some cool water on her face. "I'm ok just watchher up there please. I'll be right back" She moved away from the sink and walked back into the master bathroom to brush her teeth, letting the words she'd read play over in her head.

_Appeal granted…..Visitation reinstated ….. Overnight visitation….._

Starting to feel lightheaded again, Olivia splashed water on her face once she put away her toothbrush, then took a seat in the window nook trying her best to clear her head. All she could think about was hearing Fitz' voice. She knew it would immediately calm her down, but she dreaded the news that she would have to tell him. If there was no way around what the order read, then Olivia realized she would have to drop her daughter off with Jake Friday by five-thirty and wouldn't be allowed to pick her up until after six-thirty that next evening. That was one completely full day of her child being in Jake's care and it both terrified and pissed her off.

A soft knock was heard against the cracked bedroom door and Abby poked her head through the opening to check on her friend.

"You okay Liv? I called the judge and there's nothing we can do to stop it.

"It's okay Abby, I know that there's nothing that can be done"

"Liv, I called Huck, and he already knew about it and said he's handling it. He didn't say anything else, he just said give him until tomorrow, and it will be taken care of"

Olivia looked up at Abby, and wasn't sure if whatever Huck had planned would even work, but knew there was nothing that she could do. Standing up, Olivia leaned forward, letting her hair fall forward and pulled it into a messy bun at the top of her head.

"I've got a lot work to do before the night is over" She walked past Abby without another word and went to work.

The food arrived a little while later, but Olivia didn't stop to eat with Abby and continued to finish Madison's room. Her bedding was put together and the wall decals Olivia had ordered were placed on the wall, really bringing the room to life. When Madison's room was done, she went straight to unpacking the master bathroom, putting away towels, the products they used in their respective places under the sink and also she put up a few pictures in places that Fitz had already put up studs for. Her goal was to just get through the day without breaking down and focus on getting things done. She knew she had to trust whatever Huck was going to do and she wanted to be confident in that for when she talked to Fitz later that night. He would be completely worried, especially since he wasn't due back from his trip until Saturday night and if Huck wasn't able to stop anything, Madison would be gone when he arrived home.

A little over four hours later, Olivia wrapped herself in the white terrycloth robe and dried herself off keeping an eye on Madison who was still playing in her and Fitz' large Jacuzzi tub, half the water already having been let out.

"Mommy, I have a mustache"

Olivia laughed at the bubbles that covered her face and shook her head at her silliness. After grooming herself, she rinsed the suds from Madison's hair and body and got her dried off, moisturized, and dressed for bed.

"Alright toots," she started excitedly, fearing for the reaction she would get from her daughter. "You get to sleep in your big girl room tonight! That is going to be so much fun"

"No" she shook her head, damp curls flying, and she pushed the stubborn ringlets away from her face showing her scowl.

"Tell mommy why no- why don't you want to sleep in your new room"

"I wanna sleep in your big bed so I can talk to daddy on the video"

"Oh baby, we are going to go in your room and talk to daddy on the video! And we can show him your room that we finished today.

Madison didn't say much after that but her smile made it clear that she couldn't wait to talk to Fitz before bed.

They climbed into her bed, and Olivia turned on the small side table light and began reading her favorite story. She had texted Fitz to let him know they would be ready to skype with him whenever he was ready, and halfway through her second reading of the book, her IPad started ringing.

"Where is my favorite girl?" Fitz' voice was strong, clear, and so perfect that it immediately brought tears to Olivia's eyes. She hadn't spoken to him all day and purposely ignored his calls knowing that if she spoke to him, she wouldn't be able to control her emotions and wanted to wait until she was alone in bed that night to share the events of the day.

"That's me mommy!" she giggled, glancing up at Olivia before immediately turning back to the ipad that rested on her blanket covered legs. "Hi daddy, I'm in my new bed"

Her smile was so bright and contagious that Fitz couldn't stop smiling if he tried. When Olivia sent him pictures of the finished bedroom, he felt proud knowing that Madison would love her room and seeing her smile confirmed it for him.

"Hi baby girl, I miss you. Are you gonna sleep in your big girl room tonight?"

She nodded her head and went on asking him questions about where he was and if she could see his bed and his room, so he walked around with the ipad showing her everything she was only a couple of minutes later that they said their goodnights, and Olivia left the night light and left the door cracked.

Fitz watched on as Liv made her way back to their bedroom. He took in her tired features and knew between unpacking and keeping up with Maddie, that she was running out of steam. His eyes zoned in on the smooth curvature of her neck and he smiled as he recalled the way she reacts when he nips at the sensitive flesh there. He was broken out of his thoughts as light flooded the screen, signaling she had entered their bedroom.

"Hi." He said as he watched Liv claim her spot and get comfortable on the bed.

"Hi." she returned, trying to buy time to figure out how she would even begin to fill him in on what she and Abby had learned this morning.

Fitz sat quietly for a moment and watched as Liv looked everywhere but the screen. He could tell she had something she needed to tell him but he refused to push. Instead he simply said "How are you?"

Liv's head snapped towards the screen as if she was just realizing Fitz had been speaking to her through the screen. She offered a weak smile as she began to speak.

"I got a lot done today. The kitchen is pretty much finished, I just have to put the pots and pans away." She began trying her best to refrain from crying.

"Livvie, how are _you_?" Fitz asked, trying his best to goad Liv into saying what was weighing in her mind.

Liv decided to side step Fitz's answer, and continued speaking about what she had accomplished throughout the day. "Madison's room is finished, and our room is pretty much done along with our bathroom. I still have to put away the rest of our clothes-"

"Livvie..."

"- but it's pretty much done, and the living room is good to go;that wasn't really hard. The pictures are waiting for you to hang when you get back.

"Olivia."

"The guest rooms as you know are being used for storage and the office... That's your domain so..."

Fitz waited for a moment, giving Liv a chance to continue speaking. He took in her body language, deciding on the best way to approach the elephant in the room. Her arms were crossed as if she were trying to keep herself closed off. Her shoulders were slumped forward, signaling she felt defeat. Her eyes were swollen, and although she tried to hide it, Fitz knew she had been crying. Even though she looked as if the world was resting solely on her shoulders, Fitz had never seen anyone more breathtaking.

After the day he had, Fitz was exhausted. Actually, exhausted was an understatement. As tired as he may be, the real work was only about to begin. Once he realized she was finished speaking, Fitz decided to continue goading her into opening up to him. He offered a slight smile into the screen when he began to speak.

"Sounds like you've had a very busy day. I can't wait to get back and see everything you've done with OUR HOME." He made sure to emphasize the words "Our home" to show her that nothing could harm her in their domain. "So now, back to my original question; How are you?"

"I'm fine." Liv responded as she looked at Fitz through slanted eyes.

"Liv..."

"Fitz..."

"Livvie, tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"Don't... Fitz... Please... Don't..." She begged. She knew if Fitz said anymore she'd break.

Fitz sighed as he watched the love of his life trying to hold on to the last of her resolve on the other end of the screen. He took a deep breath and wished he were lying in bed beside her, helping her through this.

"I talked to Huck today, and Abby texted me a few hours ago. So, I will ask you one more time; How are you? What do you need?"

Olivia looked up, and the moment her eyes locked with his, her whole demeanor changed. Fitz watched as her eyes changed from scared, to sad, to panicked, to angry, before finally settling on something he had never quite seen before. Her eyes were full of defeat.

Her bottom lip began to quiver, alerting Fitz that she was no longer able to maintain her composure. She leaned forward and began to rock as her hands gripped chunks of her hair. She looked up towards the ceiling then towards the doorway before clenching her eyes shut. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, and held it in place as she tried her best to keep the tears from falling.

"Livvie."

"I can't do it Fitz. I can't allow this to happen. He... After what happened the last time... I don't trust him Fitz... He's only doing this to get back at me. He could care less about.." Olivia's chest was heaving so heavily, Fitz was worried she was going to pass out. He would deal with Jake, but first he needed Olivia to calm down. He was too far away to get to them if something should happen, and Mads...

"Livvie, first I need you to calm down, I need you to take slow, deep breaths for me baby. Can you do that for me?" Fitz asked as he willed for her to do as he asked. After a few seconds, Olivia's rocking slowed, and he saw the slow rise and fall of her chest, telling him he was getting through to her.

"That's my girl. In through your nose, slowly out through your mouth." He coached her through the screen. After a few moments of them taking deep soothing breaths together, Fitz smiled inwardly as her hands slowly drifted down her face, and rested in her lap. Feeling like they were ready for the next step, Fitz spoke again.

"Livvie, I need you to open your eyes. I need to you look at me when I say what I have to say next." Fitz waited patiently until Liv's eyelids slowly fluttered open, before speaking again. "Livvie, he's not getting her. I would k... We are going to make sure he never has a chance to be alone with Mads. The overnight, not going to happen."

"How, Fitz? How do you propose we go about keeping Madison away from Jake? How do you suggest we go against a court order? The court order of a judge I am sure Jake has in his pocket." Liv took a deep breath as she realized she was on the verge of screaming. When she felt herself calm, she continued.

"Jake is a powerful man Fitz. You see what he's done with the prescriptions. One call to the right person and he could have me committed to some institution, and then he'd have Madison all the time." Fitz watched as a look of horror crossed Liv's face "Shit, Fitz! How am I going to tell Mads that she's going to have to leave her mommy and daddy to stay with... I can't Fitz. I can't do this to her! He could've killed her with his carelessness the last time!"

"Livvie, I know! I know and I hate him for it. I hate everything about him, and I'm telling you that I am doing everything in my power to make sure.." he stopped immediately when he realized that he was yelling. He took a few deep breaths, using his own advice he'd given just minutes ago, and waited until he was calm before he spoke again.

"Do you trust me Livvie?"

He waited a moment, watching her digest the question. Her body started trembling and he could tell that she was battling with the thoughts that were going on in her head.

"It has nothing to do with trusting you Fitz, and everything to do with not trusting him. He's dangerous and.."

"Do. You. Trust. Me Olivia?" he spoke quietly, staring directly into her eyes. His gaze was so strong, she felt like he was in the room with her and she couldn't look away.

"I do"

"Then let me take care of this and you just take care of our girl."

"Our daughter" she whispered back, smiling at him through her tears.

He returned the smile; his much larger than hers as he let the words she spoke sink in.

"Our daughter… I love you so much Livvie"

Although she wasn't completely calmed down, Olivia watched Fitz, trying to read him as best she could even though her mind was completely elsewhere. She knew that he was biting his tongue about something, and wished she was strong enough so he wouldn't feel the need to hold things back.

"What is it? I can tell you're holding back, just say it"

She saw him change positions and lay on his side with his head propped on his hand before he continued.

"I just hate the way he still gets to you. It's like he's still controlling you"

"He doesn't control me"

"Livvie, this is not about being right or wrong or me judging you. I'm just saying that when Jake does something or there's a possible threat from him, I see you shrink away, and question yourself and become a totally different person. A person that is terrified of someone hurting them. I know you said he never put his hands on you and I believe that, I do, but your actions? Baby, they tell me otherwise, and I hate that. I don't want you to be afraid of him because I won't let him hurt you, and even more, I don't want you to fear ANY man."

Fitz knew he needed to get those words out and make it as clear as possible that he didn't blame her for the way she responded to Jake, but that he just wanted things to be different for her. He saw her as a strong, fierce, no bull-shit taking woman but where Jake is involved he saw a mentally battered woman that still feared her abuser.

"I just don't feel strong enough to protect myself against him. It's why I stayed for so long" her voice was quiet as she spoke, and she once again averted her eyes, looking anywhere but at Fitz. "He never said the words but it was clear that I couldn't beat him if I tried and I've always been terrified of having to protect Maddie from him and failing. I've had nightmares about not being able to protect her from him and I hate myself for it."

He watched her shoulder start to shake as sobs overtook her body and tears slipped down her cheeks in a rush. He would give anything to be there holding her, kissing her, letting her feel his arms around her. Telling her that he knew that she would never let anyone harm Madison even if it meant risking her own life. Madison would always come first, he knew that, but he also knew that he couldn't make her believe that, but it was something she had to know for herself.

He waited until she had calmed down some before he spoke realizing that this was something she had been holding in and putting on a brave face about for quite some time now. He knew she needed to let those feelings out, and although he would rather be there with her, he wouldn't stop her from letting out her emotions.

"Baby, I love you, and I know that you feel like you can't protect Maddie, and I respect that at least for right now, that's how you're feeling, but I just want you to know that I wouldn't trust her with anyone else but you. And above all us, I know that she feels safest when she's with you. You're her mother, the person that's taken care of her and protected her, her whole life. Trust that Livvie. You're what matters to her the most and that's a beautiful thing. Never doubt how much you mean to her Livvie.

Olivia stared at him, in awe of how he always spoke such comforting truths to her and was able to completely change her outlook on things. She didn't feel as adequate and he made her out to be, but she would try to let his words marinate and overpower the negative ones she allowed to take place in her mind.

"I miss you" she spoke softly, finally meeting his eyes on the screen. Olivia pushed the ipad away from her, and stretched forward, lying on her stomach now, propping herself up on her elbows. "I wish you were here with me tonight. In our home."

"I wish that too. I want to be there with you and Mads so bad Livvie. Just a couple days and i'll be right there with you, christening every inch of that house" he voice was all of a sudden deep, making her instantly squeeze her thigh together.

"You can't do that Fitz. None of that sexy talk until you're home with me"

He chuckled lightly before he nodded in agreement and glanced at the clock and realized just how late it was.

"You think she's gonna make it a whole night in her bed?"

"I think she will simply because she was up way past her bedtime and she should sleep like a rock tonight; even more than usual. I think she remembers subconsciously that you're gone and that's when she sneaks in. But I really think tonight I will be sleeping by my lonesome"

"Alright, if I don't get off now, I'm not going to let you go at all and I can tell today took a lot out of you. Try to get some rest baby. You have school tomorrow and need to be one hundred percent for your students. I have an early presentation but can probably call you and Mads while you're driving." He paused and took a deep breath, before he continued. "Don't think about Jake. Let Huck handle this, let me handle this. I love you, so much and I'll talk to you tomorrow okay?"

She nodded at his words. "I love you too Fitz. Goodnight."

"Goodnight beautiful"

Huck sat in his apartment going over different files that were spread out on his desk, all pertaining to Jake Ballards' dirty work. There were numerous clients that he'd help get off, and innocents were either left to see criminals walk free, and in other cases, the innocent was sent to jail, Jake buying off a guilty verdict. It seemed Jake didn't always know who he was dealing with and Huck was certain that a certain name he'd come across had no clue that it was someone as basic as Jake that caused his organization so many hits.

Hearing two knocks on his apartment door, Huck glanced at the clock on the way, noticing that his guest was right on time. He opened the door and neither men spoke a word, a single nod serving as their only greeting. The older man didn't wait for instructions; instead he walked over to where Huck had been sitting and took it amongst himself to look over the papers, noticing documents on several of his men that were either dead or incarcerated.

"How did you come to the conclusion that Ballard is behind this?"

"The uh, paper trail he left behind is smart, and there are many holes in it, but I've been watching Ballard for months now and have his apartment, office and phone bugged. Your guys came up in many conversations and he's going after another right now, but he's using one of his buddies to do it. Your guy that is supposed to be on a plane right now to Boston, Charlie, they are already setting up to have him brought in the second he lands back in DC by one of the partners at Ballards' firm that he has in his pocket. A team of paid badges will plant five million dollars' worth of diamonds on him, and then when they run his fingerprints there will be fabricated matches that will match other cases he will be framed for, including murder, and Ballard is behind it all. He knows you're dirty, and all he wants is a role in your organization so once he gets someone else to bury your guy, he's gonna make nice with you and want you to keep him in mind for future business."

The man listened intently, still looking through the files and bank accounts that he was sure Ballard would gloat to him about, assuring him that he always made well on his dealings with the bank account to prove it. Deciding that he'd heard enough, he threw the paperwork down and eyed Huck carefully.

"I'm glad this is being brought to my attention, but let me ask you this, why does this matter to you? What has Ballard done to you that makes you seek me out to get rid of him?"

"Ballard is a dangerous man and he has half of the law on his side, so me trying to handle him legally would never work, and as much as I want to see him six feet under, I figured I would allow someone else the pleasure of taking care of him. I know the type of business man you are and Ballard is messing with your business and trying to ultimately blindside you just to betray you like he does everyone else. I figured you would want a heads up, and if you're not convinced enough, there's more."

Huck opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a file folder, handing it to the man and watched as he opened it.

"Is this real?" his voice was low, even more void of emotion if that were possible, and there was a darkness to it that hadn't been there when looking at the other papers.

"He had these records sealed by the Chief Justice but I was able to get my hands on them. You know who that is. That is your business partner dead because a dealer killed him but what the file that was used as evidence didn't say was how it all led back to Ballard. He set the whole thing up two months ago as he prepared to groom himself for you, knowing you needed someone else that would have your back. He's a monster and as far as my real concern? There's a three year old child that will sadly be harmed by his world one day unless someone stops him."

He stared at Huck for a long time before dropping the folder back on the desk and pulling out his phone. After a few moments of silence as he focused on the device, he looked up and spoke.

"I leave the country tomorrow and will be back in two weeks to handle Ballard"

"Two weeks is too long. "

"I will return in two weeks. Ballard can go through with whatever plans he has for my guy and when he tries to cozy up, I will personally see to it that he is taken care of. Trust me,Ballard is the _least _of my worries. His world not harming this child you speak of will be your responsibility, not mine. I will handle him when I return."

He walked out the door without speaking a word, and Huck immediately picked up his phone to make a call.

"I wasn't able to get it done"

"What do you mean Huck? You said it would work- everything was set and that this was someone that would deliver on Ballard, no questions asked."

"And he is, but he's leaving town tomorrow and won't be back for two weeks and said he'd handle him then"

"Two weeks, Madison can't afford two weeks with that sick fuck out there"

"Fitz, I will handle this, I just need more time."

"They don't have time Huck. Tomorrow. We have tomorrow, and the very next day he will have her. I'm coming home"

"Just give me a couple of hours, I can do this"

"I'm still coming home Huck, I can't risk it. Screw the conference, it's not important"

The line went dead before Huck could say anything else, and he immediately went to dialing another number, knowing exactly how to buy them time.

Olivia walked out of the school building later that evening and was on her way to go pick up Madison when her phone alerted her that she had a new voicemail. Seeing that the call was from Jake, she pressed the speaker phone and waited.

"Olivia, something with work came up and I can't get Madison tomorrow. Guess you should count your fucking lucky stars huh? I plan to see my daughter next weekend."

When she got over the shock, she debated on whether she should call Huck or Fitz first, not sure which of them was responsible for the change of plans. Deciding to call Huck first, she pulled the car into Madison's school and parked before dialing his number.

"Liv" came his greeting, expecting to hear from her.

"Huck, how did you do it? He left a message saying that he would not be able to get her tomorrow"

"Me and Fitz took care of it Liv. That's all that matters."

"Thank you" she didn't know what else to say and knew that she wanted to call Fitz right away so ended the call once he told her that he would be in touch. She dialed Fitz' number twice but each time it went straight to voicemail, making her decide to call him once she and Madison got settled in at home.

She signed into the school and went to get Madison from the gym where the kids who stayed after school, were. With all the work she had been doing on the house, and the day she'd taken off, she stayed after to get her work prepped for next week and to catch up on things she'd missed. Luckily her principal was up to date on the situation with Jake and knew that Olivia wouldn't be asking for the time off if she didn't need it. She had never taken off time before unless it concerned Madison, and she understood why. Olivia was also grateful that Quinn worked late that day and was with Madison. She had never left her afterschool before, and as much as the Grants said they could help out with Madison anytime, she really didn't have it in her to drive the distance to their house that night to get her daughter home in time for dinner and bed.

When she walked in, it was as if Madison sensed her, and her legs were immediately attacked by the small child. She bent at the knees and kissed her face, Madison's' tiny arms going around Olivia's neck.

"Hi mommy, you're here so late"

"I know toots, remember this morning I said you would go with Ms. Quinn to the gym to play for a while, and then I would come get you? That's what I did. Can you go say goodbye, and we can go home?"

She barely dished out a hug to her teacher and was skipping back to her mother with backpack dragging behind her. Lifting her arms up, she forced Olivia to carry her the entire way to the car. That was something Olivia noticed the past few days since Fitz had left. Madison clung to her like she had before Fitz had claimed his place in their family months ago. Just from her actions alone, Olivia knew that Madison missed him and even though she spoke to him at least twice a day- once on skype- the little girl reverted back to her apprehensive ways. Having Fitz around gave her a sense of normalcy she didn't know she was missing and also confidence that she was completely safe at all times. Confidence only a father could give to his child.

Olivia waited at the door as Madison buckled herself into the car seat, insisting that she could do it. She knew that she could and allowed her to at times, but with the weather still being so cold she hated to stand at the little girls' door waiting to make sure it was securely fastened. With the car started up, and the heat going, Olivia double checked the restraints and got in the driver's seat to head towards the grocery store. She promised Madison that they could make homemade pizza together that night but never got around to grabbing the ingredients they needed on her lunch break, instead working the entire time in order to play catch up. A couple of minutes later, Olivia parked her car at the neighborhood store that was just blocks away from the school, and carried the little girl through the parking lot and plopped her into the first shopping cart she spotted inside once she wiped it down. Removing the hat from her wild curls as she noticed the store was well warmed, Olivia went down the aisle grabbing the things she needed. She went to grab a few extra things she knew they needed when her phone went off loudly from her purse. Madison dove right in to get the ringing phone and her face lit up as she saw the screen letting Olivia know exactly who it was calling.

"Mommy, I wanna talk"

Olivia answered the phone with a smile on her face.

"Hi you. There's a very excited little girl that is demanding to talk to you first"

"Hi to you. Did she do okay staying after today?" Olivia could hear the smile in his voice as he asked about Madison.

"Yes, she did fine. Still clingy, but I only expect that to change once you're home. We just stopped at the store for a few things…I heard from Huck.."

"I know you did. I wanted to talk to you about it because I know you have questions, but you don't need to worry. Let me say hi to her first" he said hearing her demands of the little girl in the background.

Olivia handed the phone to Madison who was all smiles and greeted him with a loud giggle and a "Hi daddy"

"Hi favorite girl of mine. How are you today? Did you have fun at school today?"

"Yes, when are you coming home?"

He could hear the pout when she asked him the question and wished he didn't have to be away from either of his girls.

"Very soon okay. I miss you. Can you be a good girl for mommy and we will have a video chat later?"

"Talk baby, he can't see you remember" Liv spoke when Madison simply nodded her head.

A minute or so later, Olivia was back on the phone with him, finishing up her shopping when she noticed Huck enter the store and make his way over to the two of them.

"Huck, what's wrong?"

He didn't answer her question, and Olivia finally noticed that he wasn't looking at her, but behind her. Turning around, her breath caught in her throat when she saw Jake a few feet away standing casually, and staring at her. Had he been following her? How much did he hear? Olivia could hear Fitz's faint voice on the phone trying to get her attention, but was unsure of what to do. She glanced at Madison who tried to look past her mother to see who was there, and Olivia took a hold of her face making the little girl look only at her. "Baby, come here, close your eyes for me okay?" she started to lift her out of the cart, and saw Huck start to put the groceries on the conveyer belt.

Jake took a step forward, coming to stand directly behind Olivia. "Who were you on the phone with? Who is my daughter calling daddy huh? Who the fuck are you screwing now? Imagine how surprised I was to find out you're no longer living with Red. " he went to grab her arm, but Huck stepped in between them and sent Jake a look that begged him to try something.

Olivia had Madison wrapped in her arms, and could feel her small body tense up the second she heard Jake's voice. Fitz obviously knew what was going on, and she could hear him breathing heavily on the phone now that was pressed between her shoulder and ear. "I'm okay, Huck is handling it"

"Liv, leave. I'll bring this to you later" Not taking any chances, she grabbed her purse and quickly left the store with Jake and Huck still in the store staring one another down.

Olivia moved as fast as she could to buckle Madison in her car seat, trying her best to pry her fingers away from the grip they'd had on her coat. Olivia had thrown her purse and phone onto the front passenger seat, but knew that Fitz was still there listening and waiting for her to get back on and tell him exactly what was going on.

"Baby, you're ok, we are going home okay."

She got in the front and buckled herself up before she sped out of the parking lot. She picked up her phone and tried to hear what Fitz was asking her but she was not able to concentrate on anything after what had just happened. Olivia had never before "run into" Jake before while she was him there, especially after the court order sent chills down her spine. The longer she drove, the more questions began racing through her mind.

Had he been watching her and if so, for how long? Had he followed her from Madison's school? Was he planning to take her daughter from school again? Should she talk to Fitz about finding a new school for Mads? Most importantly; Had he ever followed them home? Did he know where they lived?

Between Jakes previous stunt and Madison now on the verge of a complete meltdown, Olivia could feel her patience wearing thin. She drove in silence, unable to utter a single word. Fitz remained on the line, trying to keep his own anger and frustrations at bay. He had to remind himself a few times as his questions were met with silence that Olivia was going through a lotright now. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was merely counting down the seconds until her breakdown occurred. She couldn't even be mad at him for that assumption. As of late, breaking down seemed to be what she was best at.

The loud shrieks escaping Madison pulled Liv out of her thoughts. She loved her child, she really did, but in this moment, she just needed quiet. She had enough on her mind in this moment. There was no way she could focus on the road with a screaming child in the backseat. Before she could stop herself, Liv's eyes shot to the rearview mirror as she looked at her daughter with wild eyes.

"Madison Olivia, QUIET! You need to hush that noise right now! I can't focus on the road if you're screaming damm.."

"Olivia!" Fitz warned causing Liv to bite her tongue before she had gone too far.

She loved her daughter, more than anything or anyone else in this world. Of course Madison was corrected when she did something wrong, but Olivia had never used a tone like that with her before.

Madison jumped in her car seat at her mother's tone, followed by her daddy's booming warning, and had officially reached the final level of her meltdown.

Olivia watched in the rear view mirror as Madison's bottom lip began to quiver, and her eyes clenched tightly shut. She watched as her daughters mouth opened wide, and her voice went from a silent scream, to a full blown wail. Watching her daughter scream her head off in the back seat made Liv's heart sink. Madison was already terrified of Jake, did she seriously have to add more fear on top of that? She had been so wrapped up in her anger over Jake and trying to calm Madison that she had forgotten that Fitz was even on the phone.

"Olivia! Olivia, are you still there?" Fitz asked in more of a panic as he knew that Liv was still trying to focus on the road with a screaming child in the back seat.

"Yea, I'm here. Fitz... I can't do this! I can't take this right now!" she yelled as she felt the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Fitz knew Liv felt as if she were drowning, and he had to think fast to get them home safely.

"Olivia, Livvie, baby, I need for you to calm down. I need you to take a deep breath, and put me on bluetooth. Do it now, Livvie." The ten seconds of silence that followed seemed like hours to Fitz.

"Ok." Liv finally responded as pressed the Bluetooth button on her steering wheel. She was thankful Fitz intervened when he did. She wasn't that type of parent. The parent who took their anger and frustrations out on their child. She hated herself for not being stronger, for letting Jake have any type of control over her.

Fitz closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he was full of hate in this moment. He hated being so far away from them right now. He hated that Jake felt he was entitled to Madison and Olivia's happiness and sanity. He hated that Jake used them as puppets just because he felt he could. Mostly, he hated not being able to hold the two most important females in his life and calm their fears. Hearing what this was doing to them only made him want to make Jake suffer in any and every way imaginable.

"Ok, it's on." Liv said with a roll of her eyes. If she couldn't calm Mads down, what the hell made him think he could.

"Mad's, baby can you hear me?" Fitz asked in a soothing tone. Like magic, Madison's screams began to quiet down.

"Seriously!?" Liv thought to herself as her daughter struggled to settle in the backseat. He speaks six words and she's calming down!? Seriously!?

"Daddy?" Madison hiccupped, her cries instantly soothed by the sound of her daddy's voice.

Fitz smiled as he heard his baby girl through the speaker. Her voice was raspy and he could picture her beautiful eyes swollen from crying. Even then, he was positive she was still just as beautiful as her mother. Liv continued driving, trying to hold in her own tears as she listened to Fitz calming their daughter.

"Yea baby girl it's daddy. I need you to listen to me. Ok Mads?"

"Yes daddy." Madison answered with a sniffle and another hiccup.

"Listen baby girl, daddy needs you to calm down, ok? I need you to be my big girl, can you do that for me Mads? Can you be daddy's big girl?"

When Fitz no longer heard her sobs he knew she had quieted down and that she was nodding her head instead of speaking aloud.

"Daddy, we saw the bad daddy at the store and he wasn't nice. He scare me and made mommy mad and I want you to come home daddy! When are you coming home?" Madison asked and Fitz knew she was about to begin crying once again.

"Soon baby, I promise. As for the bad daddy, he's gone now. Daddy won't let anything happen to you or mommy, ok?"

"Promise daddy?"

"I promise."

"Ok."

"Now Mads, I want you to be a good girl for mommy ok? When you get home we can Facetime. How does that sound?"

"Ok daddy. I love you."

"I love you too baby girl."

Olivia's heart softened hearing the words Madison spoke. She had to admit that when Fitz was able to immediately calm Madison down, she saw red. _She_ was her mom. _She _was the person that had always tried her best to protect her. _She_ was the one that took care of her. But then Fitz came along. He came along and fell completely in love with Olivia, and in return he fell in love with Madison. The guilt Olivia felt ate at her throughout the entire drive home. Fitz was silent, but she was grateful that she could hear his breathing still. It calmed her as if he was sitting right next to her. She glanced at the rear view mirror and saw that Madison had finally dozed off in her car seat. She decided to take advantage of the little girl being asleep and get this over with before she chickened out.

"I'm sorry" her voice was low, and ashamed.

"Livvie, you have nothing to apologize for"

"But I do. I'm sorry I went off on her like that and that I wasn't strong enough to hold it together. I don't know why I've felt so inadequate as a parent, as her mom, lately. I've never been this way, and I've honestly not felt like myself lately, but no matter what's going on with me, I _don't_ want to be that kind of parent Fitz. The type that hurts my baby's feelings, and makes her cry"

Her voice cracked, and Fitz knew he couldn't negate her feelings, but he also wanted to let her know he didn't see her that way.

"Livvie, I know that's not you. None of us are perfect, but you're as close as it gets. You love Maddie with everything in you and you love her so well. We all lose it every once in a while and she's fine. She knows her mommy, and knows that she's your number one person."

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I felt so jealous when you were able to calm her right down, but I had to remind myself that you're exactly what I've always wanted- a partner in this. I wanted her to have someone that could make everything better when I wasn't able to and to take care of her when I couldn't and I'm so grateful that I have you. I love you so much" her voice was strained, and she knew that the pounding she felt wouldn't go away until she got herself together and fully calmed down.

"I'm here for it all Livvie. I love you too."

Fitz breathed a sigh of relief at the realization that both his girls were relaxed, and that he could hear the garage being opened letting him know that they had arrived safely home.

"Livvie, I don't want you to worry about him coming near you guys anymore. Huck's not going to tell you every detail of what's going on. I made that decision and I need you to trust me on that. He will be taken care of soon, but tomorrow he is flying out of town and will be gone until Sunday. It's business, we orchestrated it, and there's no way he won't go. It's too good an opportunity for him to miss it."

"I just want you to be safe when this is all over. Huck too, I can't have either of you getting hurt because of me"

"Livvie, take me off the bluetooth now." He waited until she was back on her phone and spoke again, making sure she heard every word he wanted to say.

"When we say our wedding vows one day, we are going to make promises before God, and our friends and family "for better, for worse" and those are words I can promise you right now. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you Olivia Carolyn Pope, and that includes giving my life. I'd die a thousand times if it guaranteed me, you and Madison would live a happy life. Know that there isn't a single thing on this earth that I wouldn't do for either of you. I love you baby, and I'm going to be home soon."

"Fitz, you can't…"

"Livvie, I'm going to be home soon" he said with finality in his voice.

"I love you" Her voice was a whisper still in awe of the words he'd just spoken to her. There were no doubts in her mind he was the best thing that had ever happened to her and Madison. He hadn't told her to hang up, but it was unspoken between them that she would call him once she and Madison were settled in.

She carried Madison's sleeping body in the house, making sure that everything was closed and locked up behind her, the paranoia still lingering in the back of her mind. As much as she wanted to bathe the little girl, she didn't want to wake her up, knowing she had an eventful day and needed her rest. After double checking the locks around the house, she made her way to the master bedroom and laid the sleeping girl down, before running to grab a pair of pajamas to change her into. She didn't wake up, and Olivia decided that even if she woke up in a few hours, their homemade pizza would have to wait until tomorrow and whatever she found around the house would have to do for the night. It seemed so much later than five-thirty and Olivia wanted so badly for the day to be over with. Hearing an alert from her phone, she dug it out of her purse and saw a text from Huck saying that he had left the groceries on her front door and that he would be staying put and watching the house tonight. He also included that he followed Jake home and came afterwards, assuring her that there was no way possible he had been followed. She was grateful for Huck and all he was doing for her family.

Grabbing the bags from her porch, Olivia put the food away, and decided to finish up some work she had brought home. She wasn't exaggerating when she told Fitz she didn't feel herself lately. Something was off with her. The only thing she could do was count down the ten weeks she had left until summer break. She loved everything about her job and although there were trying days, she had never craved summer break the way she was now. With everything going on right now, she knew that summer break would give her a chance to relax and focus on her new family and life the way it deserved.

By the time Olivia was stepping out of the shower, it was already going on nine-fifteen and Madison hadn't moved from her spot on Olivia's bed. The after school program really wore her out and the fact that she was still sleeping let Olivia know that it was something she would only use when she absolutely had to. As much as she wanted Madison to get as much energy out during the day, she didn't like having her daughter completely exhausted.

Taking her shower cap off- she knew she wouldn't have the energy to do much to her hair in the morning and decided to not wash it- she hung it in its respectful place and she got out her pajamas before heading to make herself a cup of tea. She stopped in the office that still only had the desk and chair set up and shut down her laptop before turning the light off and going to the kitchen. She was proud of herself for the amount of papers she had graded and for completing all the paperwork for the end of the year school picnic. She had been placed in charge of it along with two other teachers and it was up to her to place the orders for the supplies, food, and items that they would need. She hadn't started her part as early as she had planned to, but had finally caught up tonight before getting in the shower.

She glanced down at her phone and sent Fitz a text just as she promised she would once she was done with her shower. She noticed that he had sent her a few messages in the past fifteen minutes asking if she were done yet, but she had missed them. She hoped that he would call her soon because she knew her body was exhausted and she'd pushed herself too far in every way.

Seeing her screen light up, she slid her finger across the screen and read the new text.

"Don't freak out baby"

She looked at the phone confused at what he meant and went in search for an emoji that mirrored her confusion. Before she could type anything, her head whipped around at the sound of keys turning in the front door and when the knob turned, she stood up, immediately feeling his presence.

Him stepping through their front door, strong and confident nearly brought her to her knees. There he was. Her best man. The door closed behind him and he locked it before she was on him, his hands immediately going to her ass, lifting her up on him so her legs could wrap around his waist. She squeezed his neck tightly and he could feel both her heart beating rapidly against his chest and her hot tears on his neck as she buried her face there. He pulled back when he felt the first sob escape her, not wanting her to breakdown for the second time that night.

"What are you.. how? How are you here?"

"When you called, I had just landed in DC and was heading to my connecting flight back home. There was no way in hell I wasn't coming home Livvie" he leaned in and openly kissed her mouth softly, and felt her sigh into his mouth letting him take care of her in the most simplest of ways. He pulled apart prematurely, confusing her, and he stared at her bringing one hand from her bottom and wiped at the tears that still lay on atop her cheeks.  
"Hi"

And she gave him a real smile. "Hi"


	9. Chapter 8

_Is it over yet  
Can I open my eyes  
Is this as hard as it gets  
Is this what it feels like to really cry  
Cry_

**Cry- Kelly Clarkson**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SCANDAL**

**Hi guys, I wanted to answer a few questions and clear a few things up as well. Firstly, when I asked you all to choose Fitz, or Olivia, I was so appreciative of your answers, but want to make it CLEAR, I am NOT using that for this chapter. This chapter had nothing to do with that question, and I will clue you in when it comes up further down the road. **

**Secondly, a couple of you mentioned in your reviews how you expected things to go bad with Madison not being able to keep the secret and such- I do want to clarify and challenge you to go back and re-read to understand that the ending had nothing to do with Madison telling Jake anything. Obviously Jake either ran into Olivia, or he straight out followed her from picking up Madison- I will leave that up to you to decide- but he simply overheard their conversation in the store and that's when he heard and reazlied that Olivia was seeing someone, a someone that his daughter is now calling "daddy" So Madison hasn't spilled any beans. When I write for Madison, I make think of my four year old nephew. I live with my sisters family, and have been living there since he was one years old. I've watched him grow and bloom and he fascinates me with how intelligent he is and what he's capable of. Madison's brain, her language (somewhat) and her joy is based off of him, and knowing that he is capable of keeping a secret and has self control- allows for me to write Madison as such. I also nanny children on a daily basis, so have a very good read on them, so Madison keeping this secret in- when/if explained correctly to her, definitely is very possible. **

**Lastly, I want to thank you for your kind words last chapter and for the amount of reviews that I received! You helped me reach over 100 reviews and I felt so blessed! On to reading!**

"_Thank you for coming home. I needed you to be here with me, with us"_

Those were the last words Olivia had spoken to Fitz before she drifted off to sleep. He was more than happy to see Madison, and loved carrying his little girl to her bed. He held her longer than expected and kissed her cheeks, resisting the urge to bite at them like he would have if she were awake. There was a part of him that didn't want to leave the room, needing to hold onto her just a little longer accepting that she was safe, but he knew that he needed to get back to Olivia. He leaned down burying his face in her curls, and gave her one last kiss before he left the room.

Olivia stayed securely in his embrace the entire night with her arms wrapped around his torso and her head tucked under his chin. It wasn't their usual spooning position, but it was what they both needed. When he picked her up the night before, he quickly realized that she had no intentions of leaving his arms until she absolutely had to. She hadn't said much as he unpacked and prepared himself for bed, but eyed him and stayed close to his side. She needed that reassurance that he was actually there and wouldn't be leaving. When they climbed into bed together, he rubbed her back and it was then that she broke down. Olivia had held it in for so long, and Fitz knew that she had reached her breaking point.

The sun had just started to come up and although Fitz found himself stirring, he was prepared to settle back in to an unconscious state. He pressed a kiss to the top of Olivia's head, and settled further into the pillow under his head. He was drained, and both emotionally and physically tired. He wanted to continue sleeping. He willed himself to fall asleep but knew something was off. Something was different. Opening his eyes, he turned his head to the left and immediately jumped at the small figure standing next to the bed. Madison stood half-awake next to the king sized bed, a hand rubbing one eye, and the other hidden behind a chunk of her curls that were all over the place. He blinked his eyes a few times, and tried to read the look on her face, but wasn't sure that she was completely alert. She was usually pretty out of it when she first got up, but he figured with her sleeping for so many hours last night, she'd be ready to go first thing in the morning. Fitz waited, watching her simply stare at him, and finally after a few more seconds, he realized that she was waiting for him to make the first move. He wondered if she understood that he was really there, and it wasn't her imagination. Afterall, he never told her that she would see him the next morning when he'd spoken with her on the phone.

Not wanting to disturb Olivia, he stretched his free arm out as far as he could and she responded immediately and grabbed a hold of his fingers, and climbed on the bed. She was snuggled into his side immediately, one hand slowly moving up his shoulder and reached his ear. Fitz smiled not realizing how much he'd missed her doing that in the few days that he was gone.

"Good morning Mads" he whispered pulling her into his side as close as he possibly could.

"Good morning daddy" she whispered back.

He wasn't sure what to expect from her after such a difficult night, but he didn't like seeing his baby girl so sullen when she was normally sassy and full of smiles. Looking at the sleeping beauty on the other side of his chest, Fitz sat up as slowly as possible, easing Olivia onto the pillow he had been using. Still snuggled into his side, Madison moved along with him and once he made sure Olivia still hadn't budged, he moved off the bed with her in his arms.

"Alright, can you go potty in your bathroom and I'll come get you in just a second okay? I'm gonna go potty too."

He kissed her head and placed her on the floor and she darted out the room. He went into the adjoining room and used the bathroom before brushing his teeth quickly. Walking out of the room, he closed the door behind him and looked up to see Madison standing at the end of the hall. He imagined that she had finished doing her business pretty quickly and stayed there waiting for him. Fitz bent at the knees and held his arms out, and with that invitation, Madison ran towards him and jumped into his arms. She laughed the second his fingers started tickling her back and neck, her nose scrunching the way he loved as she wiggled in his arms. He stood back up with her in his arms, and flipped her so she was upside down as he walked throughout the house and towards the kitchen.

His arm held her around the thighs and although she was laughing hysterically, her hands gripped his shirt tightly. Her purple nightgown hung over her face revealing her purple underwear. Looking on her back he eyed the spot where she'd had the rash at months ago, and ran his hands over the spot still feeling the rough skin and made a mental note to bring some more of the cream home knowing she had ran out. When he made it into the kitchen, he flipped her right-side-up and plopped her down in the middle of the island.

"Look daddy, Auntie painted my nails" she shoved her right foot at his chest, and he peered down at the tiny foot with purple painted toe nails.

"Those are the prettiest, purple piggiesI have ever seen" he kissed the top of her tiny foot and leaned down so he was nose to nose with her. He tried to keep a stray face as her nose scrunched up and she smiled showing all of her tiny teeth, but he was failing miserably. She was stunning. She reminded him so much of Olivia and her joy was contagious. He could be having the worst day, and knew that she would cheer him up with one smile.

"Alright Mads do you know what a tradition is?"

"A shadition?"

"Tra-dition. That's when you do something not all of the time but on special days kind of like a birthday or Christmas. But a tradition is something that we can do on our own with no one else. Just you and me"

Her eyes lit up at and although she didn't really understand what he was saying, she knew she could do something special with just him.

"You and me gonna do a tri-shan daddy?"

He chuckled not even wanting to correct her. He just wanted to hear her say it again.

"A what?" he asked.

"A tri-shan."

"Yes, Mads and daddy will have a tri-shan. What do you want to eat for breakfast? Whatever you want, me and you are gonna make it"

She tilted her head to the side, and tapped her finger on her chin. He knew she wasn't really thinking, but had picked up the silly habit from Abby. She eyed him to make sure he was watching and giggled when he poked at her cheek, interrupting her "thinking"

"I wanna eat donies!" her eyes went wide at the thought of eating donuts for breakfast.

"Donies? That's what you want for breakfast? We can do that. So today we start our tri-shan of Donies with Daddy." He held both of his large hands in front of her and she clapped her smaller hands to his giving him a double high-five.

"Let's go to the store to buy some daddy" she held her arms out, ready to be placed on the floor.

"No, no baby girl, we are going to MAKE donies. Me and you. Don't move okay?" he gave her a serious look and she nodded in return.

Fitz walked over to the fridge and pulled it open, knowing they had to have a roll of biscuits in there somewhere. Biscuits, along with jam was what they usually had for breakfast on Saturday mornings and there was always a roll or two in the fridge. Finding the blue tube of dough, he grabbed it and looked through one of the boxes of pots he'd seen and grabbed one of them out to sit on the stove. Walking back over to Madison who hadn't taken her eyes off of him, he held his arms out and waited for her to climb into his arms.

"Alright Mads, first we gotta put some grease in the pan, then warm it up" he grabbed a bottle of olive oil from the pantry and filled the pot a little less than half of the way up. Turning slightly so that Madison who was on his left hip, was furthest from the burner, he turned the stove on medium-high.

"Alright, now the stove is getting hot, so no touching, kay? It's gonna be really hot and I don't want you to burn yourself so daddy's gonna do that part."

"What can I do?" she pouted innocently, her wide eyes waiting for an answer.

"You, my love can help me with the donuts. First let's wash our hands." He took her over to the sink and held her up on his knee, and washed their hands together before drying them off. He sat her back on the island and opened one of the drawers where he knew the wax paper was and ripped off a lengthy piece before laying it out in front of her.

"Alright, piggies behind you" he instructed and laughed when she switched her legs around and bent at the knees with her feet and legs going out behind her; her butt completely on the counter. "Next you gotta open the donies up" he pulled at the red tab on the container, grabbing a good thick strip, wanting it to bust open for her and handed it to her and watched as she pulled it around until the can busted. She shrieked loudly and looked to Fitz to see his reaction and when she saw him smiling, she cackled loudly understanding that she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Alright, when I hand you a donie, you gotta put it on the paper okay?" she nodded and he started separating and handing them over to her to deposit onto the wax paper. When he was done there were 10 lumps of dough on the paper and he brought his finger to his chin imitating his daughter.

"I think that's it right? That's what a donie looks like"

"Daddy wait! Donies have holes in the middle part" She looked at him worriedly, her index finger pushed into one of the dough lumps for emphasis.

"That's right! You're a smart girl Mads. Sounds like you're ready for big girl school" he moved around the kitchen, reading all the labels on the boxes in search of the baking supplies he knew Olivia had. Even while looking, he glanced back at Madison who still sat on the island. He shook his head at her noticing her poke at the mushy dough when she thought he wasn't looking. After a few minutes, he noticed that the grease looked about ready and gave up on looking for the baking supplies and grabbed a tiny shot glass from one of the boxes and brought it over.

"It's a tiny cup daddy" she squealed reaching her hands out in a grabby motion.

"No baby, this is glass, and we have to be very careful with it. And it's mommy's, not yours" Noticing how big the glass' rim actually was, he quickly smashed the dough together, combining two and then instructed Madison on making the hole. After each hole was made, she'd push her tiny fingers through the dough and grab it out of the glass before moving onto the next one while Fitz made a few more large donuts using the middle parts. When they were finally done, they had seven regular donuts and Fitz rolled up nine small donut holes.

"Alright baby girl, hop on." He turned around and she climbed onto his back, perching herself up a little higher so she could watch him place the donuts in the pot. He grabbed a few paper towels and laid them out on a plate before checking the donuts. Seeing that they weren't quite as golden as he'd like them, he rummaged through the utensil drawer and pulled out a pair of tongs to start getting the sweet treats out.

"Help me count Mads… one, two, three.."

She subconsciously squeezed his neck a little tighter with each number they called out and Fitz could feel her smile growing as her face was pushed up against the left side of his face. It was moments like this that he wanted to remember forever. It was five minutes later that the donuts were laid out on the plate and Fitz helped Madison sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top of them.

"Can we eat them daddy?"

"In just a second pretty girl" he grabbed one of her sippy cups that was usually used specifically in the car and filled it up with milk before putting a few donuts in a bowl for the two of them.

"Go run and put on your Uggy boots ok?" He placed her down and she ran off fast down the hall. He walked over to the closet that sat next to the front door and pulled out her sweat shirt before grabbing a sweatshirt of his own and slipping it on. He heard her before he saw her, and when she finally reached him, he slipped the sweatshirt over her head before grabbing the throw blanket that hung on the back of the couch. He handed her the cup of milk and grabbed the donuts before walking over to the backdoor and punched in the alarm code. Lifting the blinds completely up so that Liv could immediately see in if she came out, he opened the door and held his hand out for Madison to grab a hold of. He walked to the porch swing that overlooked their spacious backyard and took a seat, stretching his legs out across the length of the swing before he pulled Madison onto his lap and wrapped the blanket around them. He watched as she took the first bite of her donut, sugar and cinnamon coating her fingers and lips.

"What does it taste like?" he asked.

"Yummy. I love donies. Thank you daddy" She concentrated on her next bite.

He smiled brightly at her and held up his hand, laughing when she slapped her messy hand to his. "Can daddy have a kiss?"

She leaned up and popped a kiss on his lips before going back to eating her donuts.

Fitz leaned back against the cushioned swing, and Madison followed suit, falling into his chest and he used his feet to push them slowly. He loved being a father to her. As much as everything still wasn't the way they needed it to be, Fitz knew he couldn't hold back in fear of something going wrong. He had to give Madison his very laughed remembering the first time Madison had given him a kiss goodbye when he and Olivia had dropped her at Abby's one evening so they could go out.

_He was used to kissing her head, or her cheek, but when Olivia had told her to give them hugs and kisses goodbye, she had galloped towards him until she was in his arms and squeezed him tight. He was hunched over hugging her, and when she pulled away, she had leaned forward and kissed his lips as if it were the most normal behavior, then she moved on to her mother. Fitz looked at her waiting for a response, but she paid no mind to him. He hadn't brought it up until they were driving towards the bowling alley. _

_"Livvie, I'm really not sure how to respond to what Maddie did back there"_

"_What do you mean, what did she do?"_

_He looked at her in confusion. "Liv, she kissed me on the mouth. I've seen her kiss Abby and Harrison, but on the cheeks and that's normal, but I've only seen her kiss you on the mouth before. Are you okay with that?"_

"_Fitz, stop. I think the question is, are you okay with that? You're right, Madison doesn't kiss anyone on the mouth except for me. When she was little she would kissed Jake on the mouth, but it's what they do at that age to anyone that they kiss. It's a form of love they learn early on. I swear when we brought her home from the hospital, I kissed her lips constantly unless I thought I was sick or something" she chuckled remembering how tiny and precious her little girl had been even that young. _

"_She was used to me kissing her lips, and it was the only way she knew to kiss, but as she got older it's just something she learned. You don't kiss everyone on the mouth and even with Jake, she was uncomfortable with it, because that was her way of showing affection, and she didn't want to show any to him, so she stopped. She understands that people don't just kiss each other, and that you kiss someone you love."_

"_So you're saying" he started._

"_I'm, saying she loves you like she loves me and it kinda makes me a tad jealous to know I'm not her whole world anymore." She poked her bottom lip out, forcing a pout._

"_Livvie, I'm not.."_

"_You are, and you wanna know a secret?"_

"_From you, always"_

"_It's all I hoped for since day one. I wanted her to fall in love with you and see you as her dad. Removing all the mushy reasons away, I really needed someone to share parenting with and the weight of it all and I've never had that."_

_She glanced at him to see his reaction. He was driving and switched hands, bringing his right one to rest on her thigh, his palm opened, waiting for her fingers to intertwine with his. _

"_I'm glad it was you Fitz"_

"_Me too"_

The memory left Fitz' mind as fast as it had come, and he turned his attention to the sound of the door opening behind the swing. Olivia had a blanket wrapped around her frame and wore thick, fluffy socks that went up to her knees to keep her legs warm. Fitz moved his legs that were spread out on the bench and brought them to the ground, giving her room to sit. She didn't say a word, and sat down to the right of Fitz and scooted closer so that their thighs were touching and she laid her head against his shoulder.

"Morning baby" Fitz whispered, his voice matching the calm and stillness of the morning. Madison was still quietly eating her donuts, barely acknowledging her mother with the exception of a quick smile in her direction and her hand extended, offering her a half-eaten donut.  
"I'm okay baby, thank you though." She responded to Madison, before she lifted her head slightly to kiss the corner of Fitz' jaw that she was able to reach.

"You want me to make you some breakfast?"

She shook her head showing a small grimace at the thought. "I'm good, thanks."

He eyed her carefully. "You feeling alright? You're not getting sick are you?"

"I think I am, but it could be just stress. I just don't wanna test it. Tell me what happened"

She knew there was no need for explanations, and figured he could explain everything to her without using names or saying anything that Madison couldn't hear.

"Basically we were able to get him to leave town for business. That's all I'd really like to say about it right now"

She nodded and they sat there quietly until Madison had finished her donuts and downed her milk. She had slept well, and had plenty of energy to keep both Olivia and Fitz occupied until it was time to drop her at school. Fitz watched Olivia that morning and knew something was off about her, but wouldn't push her constant reassurance that she was fine. She admitted to him that she was tired but it wasn't till she'd called him during her lunch break saying that she was on her way home early, that he knew he had to learn to put his foot down more with her. Olivia's principal had fought tooth and nail with her about staying at work with the way she'd come in looking completely out of it, but when she found her throwing up, she made it clear that she couldn't be there with the kids, and sent her home.

Fitz had been at his office when Olivia sent him a text saying that she was sent home and would be there resting. He had been on the way to hisparents' house, but quickly turned around to go home to her. When he walked into their home, all the shades were closed in the living room as well as the bedroom where he found her coming from their bathroom.

"Livvie, let's get you in bed. What's going on babe? Do you feel like you're sick, like coming down with something or…"

He didn't finished his sentence when he noticed her about to speak.

"I don't know. Lay with me please. I just want you to hold me."

He didn't push any further and watched as she changed into one of his tshirts and shimmied out of her khakis before climbing into the bed. Fitz followed suit and stripped down to his briefs, leaving his tshirt on and climbed in behind her in their usual spooning position. He pulled her closely to him, but was cautious of holding her too tightly. His left arm wrapped around her, sneaking its way under his tshirt she'd stolen months ago, and rested against the flesh on her stomach. He used his thumb to run small circles before he splayed his hand across her stomach and stopped his movements.

"I need you healthy baby, always. So whatever is going on, I need to make sure you're taken care of. So when I say rest, I expect for you to rest okay?"

She barely nodded her head, Fitz only feeling the tickles from her wavy hair. He stopped talking, sensing that she was quickly drifting off.

It was nearly two hours later when Fitz was awakened by the sound of Olivia moaning beside him. She had long since untangled herself from his arms and her back was no longer pushed into his chest. He had felt her get out of bed a while ago and get her customary drink of water like she did every time she went to sleep. But waking up to her loudly moaning was new to him. Peeling his eyes open, Fitz glanced at her and noticed her face was scrunched in discomfort and pain; one he had never seen before. He rolled over to get closer to her and his leg came in immediate contact with something wet on the sheets. He pushed his hands under the covers to feel what it was and when he brought his hand back up to examine it, he felt lightheaded.

Blood

Fitz lifted the sheet completely up, and looked down to see a large spot of blood under her.

"Livvie, baby wake up. Wake up" he said not fully comprehending what he was seeing.  
"It hurts, Fitz." she spoke groggily. "

"You're bleeding Livvie. You're bleeding"

Looking down at the front of her cotton panties, Olivia saw the large red stain, then looked to where Fitz was and saw another large stain covering the sheets close to him. She shook her head in denial as a sob left her body before she completely broke down.

That amount of blood could only mean one thing.

Fitz had his jeans and shoes back on in seconds before he pushed through one of her drawers and grabbed her some clean underwear and a pair of sweat pants out. Grabbing a few towels from their bathroom, he helped her sit up in bed and pulled the soaked underwear down her legs. He took the dark colored towel, having grabbed that one purposely, and wiped her legs and between her thighs before moving to slip the pants onto her legs. He could feel her shaking and as much as he wished this wasn't something they had to experience, he knew he had to take care of her in every way. Taking the last towel he had, he laid it on the bed before running back to the bathroom to get a pad for her to wear. He kneeled down before her to start working on it, and once he was done, he stood her up and pulled her underwear and sweats the rest of the way up.

Fitz wrapped an arm around her waist and started them towards the garage.

"Thank you for taking care of me" her voice was hoarse, broken and fearful.

"Always, Livvie" Fitz wasn't sure what else there was to say. He would always take care of her no matter what it entailed. Though rings hadn't been exchanged, and vows hadn't been spoken, they were there and she was his responsibility. He made that promise to himself.

Olivia was unaware of what happened the remainder of the afternoon, and wondered if it were possible to black out, but still be awake. She remembered sitting in the passenger seat of a car while Fitz reversed out of their garage. He had made it as far as the end of their street when Olivia felt the car stop and he sped back to the garage. Time seemed to move at a snail's pace and she didn't know how long she sat in the car, as the cramps grew more intense, but she vaguely remembered him running back to the car with her purse and their phones.

At the hospital she sat in a white room, but anything anyone said to her went like the expression, in one ear and out the other. She remembered hearing words like, "chromosomal abnormalities", "miscarriage", and "sorry", but she felt numb and did her best to focus on Fitz. Catching those words and phrases instantly brought a feeling of numbness to Olivia. She wasn't sure how much she cried, or if she even had visitors, she just knew that she didn't feel anything, and she wasn't able to comprehend what was going on around her. She remembered physically fighting with Fitz, telling him that she wanted to go home, and she couldn't stay there any longer, but there was nothing either of them could do. She wasn't in her right state of mind, and she was severely dehydrated and placed on an IV drip and a six hour blood infusion. She did know that Fitz had taken her to the hospital on Thursday and after some procedures, and once the doctors were convinced that she wasn't as bad off as she had been, they released her to go home Friday morning.

Fitz had been her rock. No matter how much she cried, fought and purposely used her words to hurt him, he stayed by her side and refused to leave her alone. One thing Olivia hadn't done was ask about her daughter. As much as it pained her to not focus on her little girl at the moment and demand to see her, she knew that Fitz had taken care of everything. There were numerous times when he had stepped out to either make a phone call or answer his phone, and she knew the only calls he was taking were to ensure their little girl was doing fine. When they'd first taken Olivia back to be seen by a doctor and Fitz was finally able to see her, he had held her to him and told her in the softest voice that Madison was being taken care of by Abby, and that she didn't need to worry.

He had taken care of everything, and she trusted him to do so.

Fitz could tell that Olivia didn't want to talk about what happened while they were at the hospital, and knew he needed to wait and be patient with her. He also knew that Madison would be demanding to speak with and see her parents and that some contact had to be made if Madison would get through the day at school. Quinn was aware of what was going- just that Olivia was very sick- and had been sure to let Madison have recess inside while they waited for Olivia and Fitz to call the classroom. The other kids had only been gone for ten minutes and just when Madison was getting antsy, Olivia and Fitz called to talk to her.

It was then that Olivia broke down completely. As soon as she hung up the phone, the tears poured from her eyes and she couldn't hold it together anymore. Olivia needed to touch her child.

"I want her home Fitz, I need her here with me"He sat in front of her and she gripped his arms, pleading for him to go get her from school.

"Livvie, I know you need to see her ba.." he paused, and swallowed, stopping himself from saying the word _baby_ like he had done all morning and the night before. It was a name he felt he couldn't call her for a while. "I want you to see her, and I know she needs to see you as well, but Livvie, we need to make sure she sees you in a way that doesn't worry her. I know you want to be calm and relaxed when I bring her home, so tell me what I need to do to make sure that happens. What can I do Livvie?"

She didn't say anything, instead she pulled him closer and buried her face in his neck. Her fingers held tightly to bunches of his shirt and he held her as gently as he possibly could.

"Forgive me.. I hadn't been feeling well for a couple of weeks and just knew that something was off but I never did anything about it. It caused us our baby, Fitz" she cried harder.

"Livvie, this wasn't your fault okay? There was so much going on that we could not control and I don't want you to think this is your fault in ANY way, do you understand me? You are the perfect mother to Madison and when the time is right, you're going to be the perfect mother to our other children."

They stayed in that position for a next few minutes until Fitz glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand, knowing he should head out and get Madison before they started nap time. He leaned back and gestured for her to sit back down on the bed, and he helped her get comfortable under the covers. He went into the bathroom and grabbed her heating pad to plug in and handed her the remote for the TV that was now in their bedroom.

A TV was something they both agreed to not have in the bedroom because it served as a distraction. Their bedroom was where their intimacy started and when they were alone in the room, they wanted to share that intimacy on every level-not just sexual- and a TV, they felt would definitely take away from that. When he first contacted Abby about what had happened, she took it upon herself to handle cleaning up their bedroom, and followed Fitz' stern instructions on getting a new mattress for their bedroom. She said that she would get Huck to help her with the moving, and he was grateful for everything the both of them had done in such a short time period.

Stepping back, Fitz moved the cup of tea, that set on her nightstand, so that it was closer to her without making her move too much and then he sat her cellphone on the bed beside her.

"Here are your meds, they should help with any pain or discomfort for a while. Do you need to go to the bathroom or change or anything?" he handed her two pills and then moved to slip on his tennis shoes.

She shook her head no, throwing the pills back and chasing them with the bottle of water that was on the bed. She wasn't sure if it were his or hers and it didn't matter.

"I'm gonna go get Mads, but you call me if you need anything at all Livvie. I'll be gone twenty minutes, tops" He bent over and brought his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

He hadn't been sure how Olivia would feel after the miscarriage- even just being one day later- and about him in general, but most of his fears were silenced once the doctor had given them time by themselves. There were tears, shoves, screams and profanities, but afterwards, when she was ready, she kissed him. She kissed him gently, but wholly as though he were passing his strength to her each time their lips connected. That kiss was her reassurance and a love without words that she was able to feel from him. There wasn't any tongue, no labored breaths, just gentle, wholesome kissing. He pecked her lips one last time before telling her he loved her and leaving.

Madison coming home that day wasn't the best idea, and Fitz felt it was one of the firsts that he would have as a father and almost fiancé. _To know when the love of your life can't handle something_. Liv was fine when Fitz gently placed Madison down next to her on the bed, and she could tell that Fitz had given her a pep talk because not only was she talking in the softest voice she had ever heard her use, she wasn't bouncy like her normal self. Olivia sent Fitz a smile letting him know that she was grateful for all he was doing, before she opened her arms and allowed Madison to cuddle into her side. She noticed the way Madison had stared at her since she'd been placed on the bed, and it was a lot to handle, especially now combined with her timid touches.

"Toots, it's still me. I don't feel good, and I'm a little sad, but I'm still mommy okay?"

"You're the best mommy in the whole world" Madison spoke loudly, a smile filling her face.

Olivia had tried her best to stay strong, to hold on to the façade for as long as it would take until Fitz took Madison back out of the room. She couldn't let him see her so broken, she never wanted him to see that side of her and in the last few weeks she felt he had already seen her at such low points.

Hearing Madison say that she was the "best mommy in the whole world" caused her body to tremble. She didn't feel like she was and she honestly hated a part of herself for being so careless. Losing her baby broke her in so many ways, but the part that tortured her most was that it was Fitz' baby she had lost. His love for Madison and the talks they'd had about how deeply he would love their future children forced a hysterical sob to escape Olivia, and she felt the regret seeping in.

Madison had leaned back to look at her, and Olivia tried to wipe at her tears but there was no use.

"Fitz, just take her please"

"Come here Mads" he lifted her in his arms and hugged her tightly to his body, her head was pressed against his chest, but her eyes stayed glued to her mother. "I'm gonna get her sett.."

"No, Fitz, stay with her for a while. Go play and pack her a real bag of clothes for Abby, I'll be ok. Just spend some time with her. I don't want her to feel lost and alone. Please."

Not that he needed for her to say that, he would do anything for her, but the cracking of her voice let him know that she was serious.

Fitz played with Madison for the next two hours, forcing himself to be completely in the moment with her and not let his thoughts take over. She was his little girl and she deserved his attention. What happened couldn't define them for the rest of their lives, and Fitz knew that they would have more children, but the pain didn't just stop there. He knew that his pain was lessened from the fact that he didn't know about the pregnancy and the fact that it didn't physically affect him like it did Olivia. It still hurt him and he felt that loss in every bone in his body, but being unaware of the baby being there, he believed, made things easier. He knew it wasn't the case for Olivia, and he wanted to do everything he possibly could to help them move forward, together.

Two hours later, Abby arrived to pick up Madison with plans to keep her through the weekend. Both Olivia and Fitz were grateful that she would take her off their hands, and allow the two of them to be with one another. Olivia was still experiencing a heavy flow and was told to expect that for the next week or so along with the cramps that were sure to keep her off work until the following week. The only upside she could see was that there were two more full weeks left before Spring Break, and she was confident once break was over, she would be herself again and 100% for her students.

As the following week came and went, the Pope-Grant household stayed busy, and although things were stressful, they were able to get back into a routine. Olivia had taken a full week off from school, and was able to give her body enough time to heal as she stayed home and rested, only leaving the house if Fitz couldn't pick up Madison from school. In the past week, things had changed drastically for him as he was now working full time as a Resident in the ER at the hospital. Although he was used to having shifts there, it was still kicking his ass. The practice that he had been working at for the past three years, was moving and while he was given the opportunity to go along, he declined immediately once he realized that it would be out of state. There were two other doctors that would stay behind with him and one promised to bring him along once his own new practice was up and running by the Christmas time. Fitz knew that he could handle the vigorous hours of being a Resident in the ER for the next nine or so months, but the one thing he hadn't prepared for was the Attending that was over him.

Cyrus Beane, who he'd worked under for years, was transitioning to the Cardiology department, and within the next few weeks, a new Attending would be taking his spot. His first two days there had been twelve hour shifts and he hated that he wasn't able to be home with Olivia and Madison. They hadn't signed on for this and quite frankly neither had he. While he was technically new, he had worked shifts there before, had seniority over the other four Residents and made it clear that he needed part time hours, explaining the situation at home. His request, like any, was in writing, the correct paperwork and documentations were submitted, yet there were days that he was forced to stay longer than he was scheduled to. He knew this was the work of the new Attending, who was making the schedule without being present. He didn't know who they were but he was told that they were one of the keynote speakers at the conference he decided to leave. He obviously didn't give himself a good name by doing that, and could only hope that once he was able to meet them face to face, he would be given some slack.

The days leading up to Friday left Olivia a nervous wreck. There was a part of her that still was distant from Fitz in every other way that wasn't intimate. Their kisses, small touches, and cuddling were still there, but Fitz knew that she was overwhelmed still with everything going on. In his eyes, she hadn't grieved for the child that they'd lost and he wanted her to be able to do that and prayed that it would be the start of her healing. Fitz also noticed the way Madison responded to Olivia now that her demeanor had changed. If you didn't know Olivia, you would never know that the light in her eyes didn't shine as bright, and Madison, who'd looked at her mother for the past three and a half years, knew the difference. So much had changed for her in the past year and with all of it being good, this negative change that she saw in her mother had the little girl on edge. She clung to her and became a shadow to Olivia, making sure that she was always near her. The little girl would be tucked into her bed at night, but before three-am came, she'd be climbing onto her parents bed and snuggling into her mother's chest.

It was Thursday evening and Fitz had just gotten off work, and clocked out before making his way to the parking garage and started his car. He set there while it warmed up and went through his phone he'd had to ignore the last hour of his shift. There was a text from Olivia about dinner being in the microwave, and that they'd missed him at dinner. Attached was a picture of Madison making a silly face while a long green bean was tucked between her top lip and nose. He laughed at the picture and decided his car was warm enough, and started his drive home. He was a lot closer to the hospital than the practice and made home to the quiet house within fifteen minutes. He exited the car and grabbed a bottle of water from the outside fridge and walked into the house, heading straight for his bedroom. As he made his way further inside, he heard the shower cut off and Olivia's voice speaking to Madison.

"No shaking your wet hair missy. Step out" before she could wrap the towel fully around her, Madison's gaze went to Fitz, and the little girl was gripping his leg before Olivia had time to blink.

"Daddy, you're home. I had a shower like a big girl"

"I see" he reached out for the towel Olivia had been wrapping around her, and pulled her off his leg before wrapping her in it and scooping her up in his arms. He popped a kiss on her cheek as Olivia came over with a smaller towel and handed it to him before she leaned up and kissed his lips gently.

"I guess I'm not the only one that missed you today" Olivia pushed further into his chest and he placed a kiss on the top of her head and wrapped his free arm around her shoulder. "You get dried off and I'm gonna go grab your pjs" They walked out of the bathroom, and while Olivia went to Madison's room, Fitz sat her on the bed and continued to dry her hair as much as he could. Seconds later, Olivia walked back into the room and helped Madison put on her underwear before grabbing the coconut oil and starting her usual routine. Lately, she had taken to putting Madison's hair in two large braids before bed, convincing her child that it would be much easier and wouldn't be tangled in the morning. She had let her stay up a little later with hopes of Fitz joining them for bedtime stories, and once they read and tucked her in, they kissed her goodnight and shortly after followed suit.

Olivia, Abby, and Fitz all picked up Madison from school together the next day- Fitz taking a super late thirty minute lunch break since that was all he was allowed- and talked to Madison about what would happen that night. Olivia and Abby would be dropping her off at Jake's apartment in the next few hours, and she would be staying there until the next evening. Last week they were able to stop the visitation from happening, but this week they had no such luck. They had to follow the order. Madison had to go.

The only thing they had on their side was the fact that Huck had Jake's apartment completely bugged and would be listening in from his apartment, then planned to park outside the following morning to be close by. Fitz made Olivia promise to not sit there and listen the entire time, knowing she would get worked up, and technically she was supposed to still be taking it easy. Abby had planned to stay close by just in case and spend the evening with Olivia until Fitz got in from work that night. They were all holding their breaths and scared out of their minds, but knew they had prepared Madison as much as they could and knew that Huck would keep them updated throughout the time she was there.

When they pulled up to the apartment and caught the elevator to his floor, Madison, who was perched on Olivia's hip, squeezed her arms tighter around her mother's neck, slowly inching once hands towards her mouth.

"Mommy is going to be right here to get you tomorrow okay baby?"

"And daddy" her voice came out muffled now that she had successfully placed the two fingers in her mouth, her tell that she was terrified.

"Yes, me and daddy are going to pick you up tomorrow baby." The elevators opened and looking to her right, she noticed Jake standing outside of the door and gesturing for them to come in.

Olivia walked into the apartment and down the hall into the room that her daughter would be sleeping in. Here it was considered her bedroom, but this place was foreign to her little girl. Abby was next to them, sitting Madison's bag down and inspecting the room. Taking the other bag off her shoulder, she walked into the living room where Jake stood with a smirk on his face.

"This is her food. This is the only thing she will be eating or drinking while she is here. Do not feed her anything else Jake. She has two epi-pens with her. One is in her bag, and the other is in this bag. Her inhaler is also in her bag that she has. Do NOT fuck this up Jake. This will more than likely be the only time you win, so savor it because soon enough, you won't have any claim to her"

"Thanks Red, I'll keep all that up here" he tapped the side of his head and grabbed the bag before sticking it directly into the fridge without even taking anything out. "Now, if you two will leave, you're intruding on my time with my daughter."

Olivia stood at the door hugging Madison closely to her and whispered prayers in her ear while rocking her side to side. "I love you baby, and I'm going to call you before bedtime okay?" She looked at Jake, daring him to disagree. Abby stepped closer to the two of them and kissed Madison's head before sending Jake a death glare and waiting at the door for Olivia.

It was another ten minutes before Olivia walked out of the building and drove off in her car. It had taken Abby reminding her to not make a scene with Madison there for her to actually leave the apartment. As much as they longed to stay there the entire night, per the court order Olivia couldn't be within a certain distance of Madison during the time Jake was allowed with her. They could've easily ignored it, but with the false documents he'd had drawn up on Olivia, the courts could easily take Madison away from both of them until things were investigated and her name was cleared. They couldn't take the chance of Madison being placed in any type of temporary care with strangers, so they obeyed.

Jake Ballard sat on one edge of the couch with paperwork sprawled out in front of him while Madison sat on the opposite end of the couch chewing on some carrot sticks her mother had packed for her. It took a while to convince her to sit down on the couch with him, and even longer for her to get up the courage and tell him that she was hungry. He'd rummaged through the bag, holding out food to Madison only for her shake her head no until he held up the carrots. She asked for ranch dressing but he didn't have any, and she didn't complain. A phone was pressed to his ear and a small leap frog game sat in her lap to entertain her. Madison didn't pay much attention to what he was saying, instead she played her game and ate her snack, only looking up when his voice would get tense and loud. She had never heard her daddy- Fitz- talk that way, and she was trying to be brave and not afraid.

"Is he on the way in?" Jake spoke into the phone after slamming the screen to his laptop close. "Good, I'm on my way to deal with him"

He hung up the phone and stuffed it into his pocket before turning the tv off and turning to Madison.

"Madison, we need to go, grab your coat" he walked to the table and grabbed his car keys and waited for her to come back from the back. She walked out, holding the coat up to him for help and he sighed before obliging her and putting the coat on her. They walked out into the parking garage his apartment had and he strapped Madison into her seat before pulling out of the parking lot.

It was an hour later that Madison sat in the large chair of the waiting area, her feet swinging back and forth. The room was painted in dark colors and the lights were dimmed creating a look that had Madison completely unsure about her surroundings. The secretary had been left to watch her, but she had walked off to the bathroom minutes ago saying that she would be right back, but hadn't returned yet.

Sliding down from the chair she was in, she left the leap frog toy there and walked down the hall where she remembered Jake going and tried to look into each of the office windows but she wasn't tall enough. Coming to one of the final doors, she noticed a rolling chair and knew that it would help her see in the windows, so she pushed it back to the doors and climbed on top of it. It was a large chair, one you'd find the head of a company sitting in, and it took a lot of effort to climb in as well as push it down the long hallway. She had looked through three of the windows and was about to get down from her fourth window when a loud voice startled her. She jumped at the sound, causing her small body stumbled out of the chair. In the midst of falling, her arm went out to protect her face, and when her body weight landed on her arm, she let out a loud scream that was followed immediately with tears.

The secretary ran towards her and grabbed her up, causing Madison to scream more. She lifted Madison in her arms and struggled to run in her heels towards her desk and picked up the phone to call her boss.

"What" Jake barked into the phone clearly upset at being interrupted. "What the hell is that? Is she crying?" he could hear Madison's screams through the phone.

"Yes, she fell off a chair, I, I was using the bathroom and I came back and she was playing around. I think her arms got hurt though"

Jake slammed the phone down before he jogged out to where his secretary was holding Madison who was screaming and holding her arm close to her chest.

"It's like fucking déjà vu with her. Madison, you're fine ok. Stop crying." He grabbed her from the woman and attempted to calm her down, but the loud screams she was producing made him want to throw her against the nearest wall just to shut her up.

"I want my mommy" she wailed, kicking her legs against him.

Ignoring her plea, Jake, wanting to determine if she really had hurt her arm, pulled her arm away from its cradled position against her chest, and he noticed that it had already began to swell. Her screams grew louder and she kicked twice as hard the second he touched her arm, and he let her slide down his body before grabbing her other hand and pulling her towards his office.

"This is the shit I don't have time for Madison. You shouldn't have been playing with the damn chair" he dismissed the man that was sitting in his office before grabbing his keys and pulling Madison down to where his car was. He buckled her in as fast as he could, his main purpose was to get her to stop screaming, and sped towards the hospital that was just blocks away from his job.

When they were parked, the both of them were out of the car and Jake held her hand as she walked alongside of him still crying but no longer screaming. He walked into the triage and in the midst of all the patients waiting to be checked in and treated, he knew he needed to get her seen and back home before Olivia called him and demanded to speak to her.

"Hi, I need my daughter checked out; I think she twisted her arm. She was standing in a chair after I told her not to, and fell. She's in a lot of pain and I really want her to be seen immediately."

"Just fill this out and lets bring her back to take a look" Nurse Lindsey opened the small door and allowed them to step in before she took them straight back into a small room complete with a curtain serving as the door. She could see that the little girl was obviously in pain and her red, swelling arm was the indication she needed to treat them right away. It only took a few minutes for them to start poking with Madison and stretching her arm before she started wailing loudly again. The nurse looked to Jake for help, but he simply shrugged his shoulders knowing that it wouldn't work.

"Sir, I really need you to help me out here and calm her down"

Jake's face stayed blank as he pulled Madison off of the bed and sat her on his lap. "Madison, stop crying if you want your arm to feel better." He spoke to her, his voice void of all emotion. "Stop the crying now" he said in a more stern voice and she immediately stopped before stuffing her fingers into her mouth. "There you go, good girl" he said with a faux smile and removed her from his lap and sat her back on the bed.

The nurse watched him, unsure of what to do and decided that she needed to get someone else in there to assist her. "I'm going to go grab the doctor and get started. I'll be right back sweetie"

Lindsey walked down the hall and over to a computer where she started inputting the information the man had given to her. She glanced up at the board that was scribbled with names of patients, their symptoms and the residents and interns that were assigned to them. Hearing a familiar voice behind her, she turned to see Dr. Grant walking towards her and glanced at the board once more, counting how many patients he had before she brought the chart towards him.

"Hey Dr. Grant, I have another strange one for you" she held the clipboard to her chest, and had a grimace on her face. She felt like she had been giving him the tough patients all afternoon, but he was the best at dealing with difficult patients.

"Lay it on me" he said letting out a breath. A part of him was happy to be kept so busy so that his mind wasn't constantly worrying about his little girl, but the other part of him wanted to be free enough to walk around with his phone attached to his ear listening into the bugs at Jakes apartment.

"Alright, I have a kid that more than likely has a hairline fracture on her arm.."

"What's so strange about that? Sounds like the most normal thing in the world to me"

"It's her father that's strange. He's cold towards her and she's obviously terrified to upset him even though she's in a hell of a lot of pain."

He held his hand out for the file and his heart stopped the second he laid eyes on the paper.

Madison Ballard.

He glanced at the top corner of the paper that would tell him the triage number they were in and tore down the hall towards them. He pulled the curtain back and first saw his little girl laying on her side silently crying into the pillow and Jake sitting in the chair, his fingers moving over the screen of his phone.

"Oh hey doc, can we make this quick" Jake spoke to acknowledge him.

Fitzgerald Grant saw red.

He grabbed Jake by the collar of his shirt and threw him out of the room, his body rolling across the floor from the force that was used.

"Dr. Grant!" Lindsey moved away from the two men, and looked in at Madison who still hadn't moved an inch from her position.

Fitz charged towards Jake and straddled his torso before his fits pounded into his face, switching hands after several hits.

"You sick son of a bitch! You will never hurt my little girl again do you hear me! Either of them. I'm gonna fucking kill you with my bare hands" blood was spouting from Jake's nose and mouth and Fitz felt himself being pulled away as soon as his hands made contact with Jake's neck. Before they could pull him too far, he launched forceful kicks to his abdomen causing Jake to clutch his stomach and breathe deeply before spitting out blood on the floor next to him.

"So you're daddy huh?" Jake stood up slowly and he wobbled for a few seconds before straightening back up. He felt completely disoriented, but this wasn't the first time he'd been dealt with this in manner.

"Get the hell out of here now Jake" Fitz' voice was cold and his statement left no room for question.

"Umm sir, I need to know if you want to press charges for assault" the police officer on site watched the encounter and although he could tell the guy was a jackass that had it coming to him, simply form his reaction, he had to do his job.

"Nah, no charges. That's pretty mediocre. If I really want to get to him.. I know two ways that'll work. You fine people have a great evening. I'll see you later doctor"

Fitz didn't wait for him to leave the building and quickly moved to wash his hands in the closest bathroom before he ran back down to the room Madison was in. Lindsey was sitting on the bed next to her rubbing her back while she still cried.

"What's going on Dr. Grant, do you know her?" She would've never expected he had a completely different side to him.

"Lindsey, can you bring me five milliliters of Tylenol please"

She stopped rubbing her back when Madison shifted on the bed and turned to look up at the voice she'd just heard.

"Daddy"

Her small broken voice brought tears to Fitz' eyes and he was on the bed, gently pulling her into his lap before the sob could escape her mouth. He buried his nose into her curls, kissing her repeatedly while she cried against him. Her cries slowed down as he held her to him, and as two fingers stayed in her mouth, her other hand crept up to touch at Fitz ears. He didn't notice when Lindsey left the room but saw her appear with the tray of medicine he had requested.

"Mads, baby I need you to take some medicine okay? Be my big girl for a minute and take this to make your arm feel better okay?" She pulled back from his chest and stared at him. He grabbed at the box of tissues to his left and cleaned her face off before having her blow her nose as well. Once she took the medicine, he turned her around in his lap, letting her lean back against his chest, and he carefully, and strategically started to examine her arm as best he could. He was sure that it was a hairline fracture just as the nurse suggested, but knew she needed an x-ray as well.

Sitting up a little, Fitz peeked down at Madison and noticed her nodding off, and brought his lips down to kiss her head once more before he dug his phone from his pocket.

"Hi you" Olivia answered on the second ring.

"Livvie, is Abby still with you?"

"Yea, she's gonna leave once I know you're on the way home. Are you getting off early?"

"No, I need Abby to bring to you to me okay? I need you to stay calm though and listen to me."

"Fitz, you're starting to scare me, are you okay? Did you get hurt working?" She couldn't afford to worry about both him and Madison.

"No Livvie, Madison is with me right now. She's sitting in my lap and she's falling asleep. She got hurt, I'm not exactly sure how, but Jake brought her in and he's gone now, I made sure of that."

"She's hurt? You have her?"

"Yes, she's with me now, I was the doctor they were going to have see her. Her arm is hurt badly, but I think it's just a hairline fracture. I need you to come here and sign the consent forms for an x-ray. I just gave her some medicine so that should help with the pain, but I need you and Abby to come down here Livvie."

"We're on the way now. I love you Fitz. Take care of her okay?"

"With my life Livvie, always."

Forty-five minutes later, Olivia lay on the hospital bed with Madison tucked into her side asleep, a black brace now on the girls' small arm. Abby sat to her right in a chair, and Fitz sat on the edge of the bed filling out paperwork that he knew Olivia was too tired to handle.

"Livvie, let's go home." He went to the other side of the bed and scooped Madison up into his arms, before leading the two ladies out of the hospital. Abby had driven her car home, and Olivia walked with Fitz towards his car, her arm hanging around his waist and her head on his shoulder.

They silently got Madison undressed and into her pajamas before Fitz put her in their bed and watched Olivia climb onto her side of the bed and move closer to the little girls still body.

"Livvie, get some rest, I need to go out for a while, but I'll be back soon"

"Fitz, baby…" she paused when that word left her mouth, and swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. "I don't want you doing something that could take you away from us. He's not worth it Fitz. As much as I want him gone forever, I can't let it happen at the expense of you"

"I promise you I won't go anywhere near Jake. I need to go see Huck. I need him to tell me what the exact plan is. I can't have another night like tonight, Livvie. Madison can't have another night like tonight. I don't ever want to see our little girl that frightened. Ever. I need answers Livvie"

She nodded her head, understanding before leaning up to kiss him. He traded his scrubs for a pair of sweat pants and sweat shirt before he was out the door.

The second Fitz stepped into the dark apartment, Huck started explaining what happened to the reception of the bugs that were planted in Jake's home, but Fitz was quick to stop him and made it clear that he wanted to hear the plan and he would be gone.

"In two days, a man named Charlie will be getting on a plane to come here to meet with Jake about a possible buy in for drug smuggling. Charlie works for Rowan,"

"Rowan, who?"

"Just Rowan. Rowan runs one of the largest counterfeit money and drug smuggling rings in the world. Jake has been vetting Rowan for years, and is responsible for Rowan's partner being killed recently. He is going to have Charlie killed the second he lands and will offer Rowan every type of connection he could ever want from the North Carolina ports. What he doesn't know is that Charlie knows exactly what is supposed to happen and the second Charlie lands, he's seeking out Jake and will get rid of him for food. Rowans orders. There's nothing tying any of this to you, myself or Olivia. The communication that we have had was quick, in person and it was one time. There are no ties, and I looked everywhere."

"So two days?" Fitz asked, his hand already on the door knob, preparing to leave.

"Two days Fitz. Two days and Jake Ballard is non-factor."

**OK- don't hate me. That was a lot I'm sure, and I can't wait to hear your feedback. Remember what I said- In NO WAY did reviewers choose for that to happen with Olivia- NO WAY. So please don't think that. Also, send me your speculations. I enjoyed reading about your thoughts on Olivia being pregnant- you guys were correct. **

**Lastly, I'm sorry to anyone that has experienced a Miscarriage and pray that you have been able to heal physically, mentally and emotionally. Thanks for reading everyone!**

**Jen**


	10. Chapter 9

**Thank you for the amazing reviews last chapter. I really appreciate them as I know it was a hard chapter to read, it was even harder to write. Enjoy this one. **

There were three men sitting in Jake's office the next morning, each of them listening to him intently and eyeing his face that was covered in bruises. They had been contacted the night before and told to come in first thing in the had big plans today when Charlie was supposed to meet with him and the criminals sitting around the table would assure him that things would go as wouldn't be the first time he outsourced for such a job, and he knew it wouldn't be the last time. He had a reputation in the Carolinas' and down through Florida, but he wanted to take that reputation Northern and Mid-West and Rowan was the way to do it.

"So it's a private jet landing on the company's airstrip, how do we guarantee that he won't have armed men with him?"

"Yea, I mean what if they're already expecting us, I aintwalkin right into the line of fire. Done it once, paid you to make sure I aint go to prison, I aint that stupid Ballard. I need to guarantees."

"Guarantees? Okay, I can guarantee you that if you _don't_ go through with the plan, that there will be a cell block with your name on it so fast that you won't have time to run your ass back across the border. You're doing this, so quit being a bunch of pussies and get the shit together. You fuck this up, it's your heads either way."

The three men looked at each other silently, agreeing that they all had a debt to pay and needed to follow orders as they were given.

"When do we need to be back here?"

"I'll be there shortly after you arrive and you're in place. Once Charlie is dead, it needs to seem like you fled the scene, so I'll have Rowan on the phone within minutes of getting there explaining to him that someone got to Charlie before our meeting and that he needs to consider this betrayal and hit back. If all goes to plan, he will fly in himself to handle things, which at that point I will make it clear that I'm available to come aboard.

"What if he doesn't buy it? You gonna sell us out?" the man that sat furthest away from Jake hadn't said a word since he walked in. He wasn't someone that owed Jake, but his boss was. He was considered his right hand, and Jake knew he would do whatever he was told without asking questions; that was until now.

"How about we cross that bridge when we get to it?' He stood up and dismissed the men before he turned to his computer to finalize some paperwork. Today would be a new start for him. Something that would give him more power than he ever imagined and put to death every snide comment his father or anyone else ever said about him being worthless and weak. He would be able to show every single one of them who he really was.

Madison had a rough time getting to sleep that evening and as much as Fitz and Olivia were grateful that she didn't seem scared at all, they hated that she was in pain from the fall she had taken. When Fitz finally returned home, just under an hour after he'd left, he found Olivia and Madison curled up together in the bed where he'd left them only they were somehow wrapped in each other's arms tighter. He carried an ice pack with him to the bedroom knowing that he couldn't ignore his bruised hand and kept it on for as long as he could tolerate before passing out alongside his girls. He wasn't asleep for long when he heard Madison crying, and sat up to see her clutching her arm that she had been sleeping on. Olivia was awake and worked on calming her down while he went in search of the Tylenol.

It took a few tries to get the medicine down the little girls' throat because she refused to take it. That was one of the things he knew scared Olivia about taking that next step with him in the beginning. Being with her wasn't just about accepting, loving and playing with Madison when she was in a great mood. Being with her was about accepting, loving and being there when Madison was _not_ in a great mood. Getting her to take the Tylenol that would not only take away her pain, but also help her rest wasn't an easy task and Fitz had his work cut out for him. This wasn't the first time Madison hadn't behaved like a perfect child and he never expected every day to be rainbows and sun shines. There were days that Madison disobeyed, purposefully ignored either himself or Olivia, threw tantrums and sometimes told stories, but he knew that this is what he signed up for. He signed up to be a dad. He knew that days would come where things would be hard; babysitters wouldn't be available, late mornings would be interrupted by a hyper little girl and that fancy dinners might not always be possible, but he wouldn't trade any of it for the world. The family he'd found, is what was best for him, and he was happy.

Olivia, on the other hand, was not happy. She was broken. It didn't take a genius to know that his Livvie was hurting and needed some closure. They both needed closure and to cope with the baby they lost. Neither of them knew about the pregnancy to begin with but in Fitz' mind that made it even more imperative that something be done. Just because they were unaware of its existence, doesn't make their child less important, and Fitz wanted to honor their baby with Olivia by his side. He knew it was the only way they could move forward together.

He stirred awake the next morning and heard the water on in their bathroom. He looked to his right and saw Madison asleep on her back with her arm propped up on the pillow they'd put under it once they'd gotten her back to sleep just hours ago. He sat up before getting off the bed and walking into the bathroom. Fitz stood at the doorway and watched Olivia as she sat on the tiled shower bench and leaned forward with her head resting in her hands as the water ran; only hitting her legs. Fitz stripped his clothes off before closing and locking the door and made his way to the shower. He opened the door and she raised her head to look at him when she felt the cold air enter the shower. He stood in front of Olivia, the water now only hitting his back, and reached out his hand to her. He waited and she stared into his eyes, internally debating on whether or not she could let him in. Fitz watched as her right hand slowly came to join his left hand and as soon as her fingers touched his, he exhaled and pulled her fully into his embrace.

Olivia embraced him tightly, her hands splayed out across his back, pushing his body further into hers. Touching him both opened the floodgates and brought her relief at the same time. His right arm was wrapped under her arm, going across her back while his left hand remained buried in her hair, touching and running his fingers down her curls. He felt the first tremble of her body against his and squeezed her tighter, moving his lips to her head and leaving multiple kisses there.

"I sh..should.… I should've known"

"No. No Livvie, you don't get to place blame on yourself. This is not your fault. We've covered this. I'll spend the rest of my life if that's how long it takes you to understand that this was an accident. It was no ones' fault."

"But it was inside of me" she choked on a sob, pushing her face into his chest. "I want a family with you so bad Fitz and even though it wasn't the best timing it was perfect. Our baby would've been perfect." She whispered into the steamy shower.

"I know Livvie. And when do we have a baby, he or she will be perfect. But I don't want you blaming yourself. I know you trust me baby, so listen when I say, not only as the man that loves you more than anything else in the world, but trust me as a professional, medical doctor when I tell you that this was not your fault."

She finally raised her eyes to look at him, and saw her biggest support system telling her that everything was going to be ok and she knew she had to believe him. Since the day she met him, Fitz had never told her a lie and her gut told her to trust and believe him. She wanted to so bad, but also knew that she needed closure.

"I love you Livvie, so much it hurts. I can't imagine what I would ever do without you. If you hadn't brought Maddie into the hospital that day…" he took a deep breath, not wanting to speak of such a bad memory when they were trying to leave the past exactly where it belong, but he couldn't help himself. "I hate that Mads' got hurt and had to come in, but I'm so grateful for that day. I didn't think I'd ever see you again, and I swear you changed everything for me. Every day since then, I've wanted to be a better person, a better man, one that was good enough for you and for Madison. I want you to know that nothing will ever change that. Nothing"

"I love you too and Madison are the lucky ones."

Fitz stepped away from her, and reached to tilt the showerhead higher before walking the short distance and sat on the cool tile, then pulled Olivia onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her middle. The water hit them at a different angle, splashing Fitz' arms that were wrapped around her stomach, the intention of keeping them both from getting cold, working.

"I want to do something for the baby. To say goodbye, I mean. It doesn't need to be something big, but I really want to do something to honor our baby"

"I do too Livvie. Would you want to wait a while or did you want to do it soon?" he squeezed her tighter against him and kissed her neck.

"Soon.. I'm just not sure what exactly we could do to honor them. Will you think of some things as well?" she finally looked up into his eyes, not wanting to carry the task alone, and knowing that she didn't have to.

"Of course."

They took their time washing one another, but moved a little faster when they remembered Madison asleep on their bed. When they were ready to get out, Fitz wrapped himself in a towel, and moved quickly to grab his under clothes before going into the closet to get dressed, and Olivia wrapped her terrycloth robe around her body and moved at a slower pace. She slipped into a pair of light blue jeans and was finishing the hooks on her bra when Madison sat up and went to rubbing her eyes with her uninjured hand.

"Hi baby" Liv whispered putting on a black tight fitting tank top, before pulling a cashmere sweater over her head.

"Hi mommy" Madison looked down at her arm, and poked at the sling, trying to decide if it actually was hurting. "Can we go to the park today?"

"I don't know, how does your arm feel, Toots?" she climbed on the bed next to her and carefully pulled her into her lap. She wasn't able to convince Madison to sit still long enough for her to put the nightly braids in, and knew it would take an exuberant amount of detangler to tame the wild mass of curls.

"It feels good mommy, where's daddy?"

"Daddy!" Olivia yelled towards the closed, closet door where she figured Fitz would be ready by now. "He's putting on his clothes Mads. Why don't we go and put you some clothes on while we wait for daddy to be done?"

"Do I have to go back to the mean daddy's house?" she served the question with a protruding bottom lip, letting her pout show how she was feeling.

"No Madison, you don't have to go back there. We are going to eat some breakfast, and then if you ask really, really nicely, daddy might take us to the park for a little while."

Her face lit up at the thought of going to the park, and she slid down Olivia's lap, then the bed, careful of her arm and she made it to the door and stopped to say one last thing.

"Can I pick out my clothes for the park?" She smushed her little fingers together, only a few of them intertwining and brought them to her lips, trying to hide her premature smile of victory.

Olivia raised her eyebrows in as much seriousness as she could manage while looking at her daughter's gorgeous, sneaky face, and tried her best to hold back the smile she knew would come the second the girl was out of the door. "You can pick out PLAY CLOTHES, yes. Wait!" she stopped her before she could run off, "Madison Olivia, I do mean PLAY clothes ok. The ones in your drawer that's all the way at the bottom please."

She sent her mom a thumbs up, and was gone. Olivia stood up from the bed, and gave a few soft knocks on the closet door before opening it and walking into the spacious closet.

"You alright in here"

"Yea, I umm, I found my work phone and just started looking up something that I thought we could do to honor the baby and I think I found it" he motioned for her to come and sit with him on the leather sitting bench they'd just purchased last week.

"What is it?" she knew that if he would suggest it, then it had to be worthy.

"At my parents church, they started this program where you kind of adopt a child financially overseas that lives in an orphanage, and it's every month basically a direct transfer of funds goes to the orphanage and it's used specifically for that child's particular needs whether it be school, medical needs, anything. They have these types of programs all over, but my parents helped build this one with the missionaries from our church that run the orphanage, so the money is going to these children, and there's no middle man, it's for their needs. They'll send updates on how the child is doing and everything like every couple of months. It's been up and running for about two years, and I just thought of it. But I don't know it's just a thought"

"No, no, I think that sounds perfect. We can honor him or her by giving another child a chance at a good life." She nuzzled her nose into his cheek and wrapped her arms around him from the side and kissed his jaw. "Thank you Fitz, I love it. Can we also release some balloons? I know it sounds cheesy, but I really want to."

"I think that's a great idea. We can grab some on the way home from the park, since I hear that's where we're headed right?"

He nudged his shoulder into her playfully knowing she was fully aware that the park was almost his worst nightmare. He had dealt with more broken, sprained, and fracture bones from children than he could count from playground incidents, and Olivia always thought it was comical when Madison would coerce him into taking her to the park. He was a nervous wreck and followed her around, completely at her beck and call, terrified that she would get hurt.

"You should've seen her face babe. I just saved us both sometime on her begging and pleading and you caving in"

"Yea, she's got that manipulation part down doesn't she?" he squinted his eyes at her.

"She must've learned it from someone that's pure genius." She bent her head low and looked up at him with widened eyes, and poked her bottom lip out.

"You two just might be the actual death of me" he pecked her protruding lip before standing up and pulling her out of the closet with him.

"Yea, but what a way to go right?"

He looked down at her and smiled, seeing just a little piece of his Livvie come out of her.

"Let's go see what the diva has put on today that the world clearly isn't ready for"

She chuckled behind him and once they checked on Madison and finished getting her dressed, Fitz cooked up a couple of omelets and they were out of the house shortly after.

When they arrived at the park, Fitz had been sure to get Madison out of her seat and as they walked towards the playground area, Olivia had her arm wrapped around his waist while his rested around her shoulders.

"Now Mads, you know we have to be extra careful playing right?"

"Right" she agreed with a single nod of her head. "Can you push me on the swing daddy?"

"Of course I can" Fitz dropped a kiss to Olivia's forehead, and playfully bounced Madison higher on his chest and sped off with her giggling from above.

Jake looked in the rearview mirror of his dark black 2015 Altima and noticed the cars coming fast behind him as the light changed to green. There was no way he would be able to stay parked there and no matter where he tried to pull over to, he quickly realized that each time the light changed, cars would quickly be coming towards him at sixty miles an hour. Slowly pressing his foot onto the gas, cars appeared behind him sooner than he expected and he was forced to slam his foot on the gas to avoid any accidents.

He hated this place. Whoever came up with the idea for a park that sat on top of a highway was beyond stupid in his book. There was parking that you could use, but the closest parking available was off limits and only for food and beverage trucks that provided food to the public. The barrier that the food trucks created between the park and the highway that led underground is what made the area "safe." It was early in the morning and there weren't a ton of people out, just mostly women and their kids.

And him.

The man that _his_ daughter was calling _daddy._

It didn't take long to find out who the doctor was that had beat the shit out of him. Jake had connections that knew who he was within thirty minutes of waking up that morning. He saw the lease on the apartment he used to rent and knew that he no longer lived there, and after just an hour of waiting, he found out which house him and Olivia had just paid in full for. His face was plenty bruised, and he was pretty sure he had a concussion but that didn't stop Jake from parking on the corner of their street, out of their eye sight- unless they were intentionally looking- but his view of their home was perfect. He watched a little after ten that morning as a black suburban pulled out of the garage, and he slowly followed, leaving enough distance as to not call attention. He watched as they parked but had to keep moving, so he circled around, reducing his speed each time. He hated seeing him touching Olivia, but it seemed every time she was within any distance, his hands were on her. She enjoyed it. He could tell by the look of contentment she had on her face. But there was something still off about her. The only thing she tried to convince him was that he never knew her, but that was a lie. He knew more about her than she thought, he just knew she could be better than what she was giving him, and he _always_ deserved better.

Madison was laughing with _him_ as though she were having the time of her life, and it made Jake want to punch something. She always had a way of taking everyone's attention and making herself the focus of everything. He honestly never wanted her. He thought _letting_ Olivia go through with the pregnancy would make her understand that their child tied them together forever, but her dedication obviously wasn't as strong as his. When things got tough, she looked for a way out and ran. Running into the arms of another man is something he refused to tolerate and if he had to take care of _him_, then he would do so.

"_Daddy go higher!"_ By the time he made it around the parkway again, Madison's screams could be heard from his car and he took out his phone when he heard it alert him from the passenger seat. He read over the email that was just sent to him, pleased that everything was going as planned. Today he would start the next phase of taking over Rowan's partner, and knew that things had to go perfectly.

"_I'm done, I wanna go slide" Madison kicked her legs in different directions, slowing the swing down and Jake watched him take her down, and follow her as she ran towards the slide. _

"_Catch me daddy" she moved quickly down the swing and giggled quickly once she hit the bottom and fell into Fitz' embrace, before scrambling up the steps again. _

Noticing a new call coming in, he answered the phone, but kept his eyes trained on the playground.

"What" he barked into the phone. If this was just another update, he didn't need it, nor want it.

"_Alright little lady, you can't run down the slide okay? You could fall and get hurt and daddy doesn't want that to happen."_

"_Will it make you sad?"_

"_Yes, it will make me very sad"_

Jake tried his best to divide his attention between listening to the conversation he was having on the phone, and watching the moments happening on the playground with _his_ family.

"Deal with it, nothing should have changed. What the hell are you good for?"

"_Will it make you cry daddy?" Her little eyes lit up like it would be the funniest thing in the world for him to cry._

_He chuckled at her antics and leaned his forehead against hers, smiling when her eyes crossed a bit and her nose scrunched against his at the ticklish feeling. _

"_Daddy would cry so much if his favorite girl got hurt. I never want you to get hurt."_

"_Don't cry daddy, I'll be careful" she kissed his lips quickly before she wiggled out of his arms._

"If you can't handle anything the way you're being paid to, then you're fired" Jake screamed into the phone, seeing red from what he had just witnessed. The two of them were obviously close and he knew he had to eliminate him completely. He threw the phone in the passenger seat and pushed the gas pedal while making a hard right to veer back into traffic.

The sound of metal crunching could be heard nearly a mile away, and everyone in the park turned in the direction that the noise came from.

"Oh God." Fitz cringed at the noise, knowing it couldn't be good. "Livvie, call 911! Stay with Madison"

Fitz took off running, his ER instincts immediately kicking in as he neared the collision. A car was mangled between one of the stationed food trucks and a large semi-truck that had struck it at an angle. The passenger door was completely crushed, the trucking having ripped almost the entire right side of the car off.

"Help!"

Fitz saw two people in the food truck that had been hit struggling to get out, and he went to them first. He helped them pry the medium sized serving window the rest of the way open, and helped them climb through the broken glass and onto the side-walk .

"Are you hurt anywhere? Did you hit your heads?" he stared into their eyes one at a time to check their pupils, waiting for them to answer. The male looked to be in his mid-thirties, while the female, couldn't have been older than twenty-one.

"No, I just fell on my arm when the car hit us. Is the driver okay?"

They all turned at once as the man driving the semi-truck stumbled out of the tall vehicle, with blood running down his face and one hand clutching his other arm. Fitz ran over to the man, and immediately sat him further away from the truck before turning to the other man, "I need you to check on the driver and see if he's still alive. Just see if he's conscious or breathing" He heard Liv's voice from a far yelling that the ambulance was on their way there, and he focused his attention back on the man that was now breathing heavily.

Fitz started checking his vitals, and assessing him for obvious injuries when the guy back from checking on the driver looking completely unsure and stopping him in his tracks.

"I umm, I really don't know, he's breathing, and looking around but he might need cpr soon. I can't tell, but if you know what you're doing, then you should check him and I'll put pressure on this guys' head."

Fitz made the quick decision in his head, after hearing the sirens in the distance and left the bleeding man in their care and ran to the mangled car. The passenger side of the car was either torn off or smashed in, and it took Fitz a few minutes to get himself to the driver's door where he could hear a man's faint moans. Fitz saw a dark head of hair pushed up against the window with blood smeared on the glass. Seeing that the door was unlocked, Fitz pulled on the handle and struggled against the metal that was bent and only after about a half a minute was he able to jimmy the door open. As soon as the door was opened, Fitz had to stop the man's body from falling out of the car, and he pushed him forward before he tried to calm him down.

"I got you, calm down sir. Are you able to see clearly? Can you feel your legs?" Fitz saw that his legs were clearly stuck in between the car and his seat that had been pushed forward by the impact. The man began coughing, struggling to catch his breath. "Help me. I can't breathe"

He turned his head to finally see the man that was helping him, and when they locked eyes, both of their worlds completely stopped.

"You… you.. help get me out of here." Jake reached for him, but Fitz was no longer within his reach.

Fitz had taken a step back and stood frozen, not believing that he was staring into the face of the monster that had caused his family so much pain.

"You followed my family here and watched us like the sick bastard that you are." Fitz looked around the other end of the car and far enough to make out Olivia and Madison waiting with the small crowd that had gathered around. She had Madison's legs wrapped around her waist and her hand was holding the little girls' head down, stopping her from looking towards the scene.

Jake reached out towards Fitz again, clearly in pain and begging for help as he felt the burning sensation in his throat and his taste buds immediately noticed the copper taste of blood. Fitz stepped forward, pushed Jake's hands down and drove his forearm against his throat, enjoying the way Jake began to struggle. Fitz knew that Jake had to have a collapsed lung, internal bleeding, and at least one broken leg. There was only the slightest chance that he could survive this accident, but Fitz knew that this was a gift that he had to take advantage of. Jake would take his final breath today.

He leaned closer, not caring about the blood that Jake was coughing up now, and stared him directly in his weakening eyes.

"Olivia belongs with me. She was never yours, and neither was Madison. Soon she will have the disgusting Ballard name erased from her life and the both of them will become Grants. And she's only three so she won't remember anything about you. And Olivia? Let's just say I've found ways to make her forget you ever existed, and I love her more than you could ever _hope_ to imagine. So thank you Jake. Thank you Jake for giving up the best two things that have ever happened to me." He slammed the car door shut, and Jake's head bounced off of it before staying upright. The next thing Fitz knew, the blood was filling his lungs and throat, choking him to death.

When Fitz heard multiple quickening steps, he began struggling to get the door open, and yelled for help repeatedly.

"The door is jammed, I can't open it! Over here." Firemen surrounded the car, and Fitz stood back, watching them take over. One fireman immediately checking Jake's pulse, and shook his head to the others indicating there was no pulse.

"I'm a doctor… I ,the shape that he's in… I.." Fitz pretended to stumble, not giving a shit about the man that was now being pronounced DOA, but also not wanting to flat out lie to the fireman.

"Sir, you did great. You're right, with the way he looks there's nothing you could've done. An officer will get your statement, and you are free to go. Thank you for your efforts."

It was twenty minutes later that Fitz finished reciting his phone number for a second time to the officer that had taken his statement regarding Jake and the two from the food truck. He was focused and attentive, giving the officer the answers he needed, but his eyes and mind were truly focused on Olivia and Madison who were waiting just a couple feet away for him to finish up. Seconds passed and the officer shook his hand, and Fitz met Olivia halfway and embraced her and Madison in a bone crushing hug. Olivia held on to Fitz, wanting to comfort him after hearing the outcome of the accident and knowing that Fitz tried his best to help the man driving. She felt his grip tighten around them and could hear his breaths quickening while his fingers dug into her skin. She didn't expect this type of reaction from him, especially with Madison present, but he knew that he didn't have to pretend with either of them, and that there was nothing wrong with Madison seeing either of her parents express different emotions.

"Daddy, you're squeezing my insides of me" Madison wiggled between the two of them, and Fitz chuckled at her normal saying. He grabbed her from Olivia and pressed her against his chest before kissing the top of her head and sighing deeply.

"You okay baby?" Olivia asked, noticing the way he held Madison and how his eyes looked hurt, yet relieved.

"I'm so much better than okay Livvie" He extended a free hand to her, and waited for her soft fingers to intertwine with his. "Let's go home."

Her left arm wrapped around his waist and she moved her hand up and down, wanting to create friction to warm him up even just a tiny bit. He had taken of the sweatshirt that had small splatters of blood on it, and didn't think twice about throwing it in the nearby trashcan. He wanted no reminder of that day, or that man.

They were all buckled in and the car was heating up as they stayed put in the parking spot for a few minutes. Olivia kept her eyes on Fitz, as his fingers moved quickly on the keyboard of his iPhone, and she waited for him to either tell her what he was thinking about, or to drive them home. She figured it had something to do with him not being able to save the man in the accident and understood him not bringing it up in front of Madison, but she knew there was more.

He looked at his phone for a second longer, before replying back, and finally put the phone down.

"Hey Mads, Grammy and Poppy really wanted you to come over and see them today, you maybe wanna go spend some time with them?" He wasn't used to making plans for Madison without consulting with Olivia firsthand, but knew that this time would be different. He looked at Olivia when he felt her grab his hand and squeeze it, and just by looking into her eyes, he could tell she wanted to protest, but decided to trust him and that meant the world to him.

"I really wanted to come over to see them too" she smiled brightly from her car seat, and kicked her legs in excitement.

Fitz lifted Olivia's hand to his lips and left a soft kiss against her knuckles. "I love you"

After hugs and kisses, Madison had easily left the both of them after being greeted with the promise of baking with her Grammy and when Fitz and Olivia arrived back at the house things were almost too quiet without their little girl. They hadn't spoken a word and Olivia simply followed Fitz into their room and paused at the door of the bathroom once she noticed him pulling the necessities she used for her bubble bath. He turned the water on and adjusted the temperature before pulling his shirt over his head, and moved his hands to the button of his jeans.

"Fitz, I um, I don't really…"

"Livvie, stop. I know that it's too soon, I just want to hold you and talk to you baby. I really need to talk to you, and I want you to be relaxed when I do." He stepped in front of her and placed his hands on the tips of her shirt, waiting for her to grant him permission. She was staring into his eyes, hers full of trust, when she nodded her head once and he lifted the shirt over her head before moving to unsnap her bra, then her jeans. He pulled her jeans and panties down her hips and bent down as he pulled them the rest of the way off, helping her to balance and maneuver her feet out. When he stood back up, towering over her small, delicate frame, she moved her hands to his hips and pushed the jeans and briefs down until he was able to kick both into the same pile that her clothes lay. He took her hand and helped her into the Jacuzzi tub first, before he climbed in and settled himself behind her. She added a bit more shea-butter body wash, and bath salts, before grabbing the small bottle of tea-tree oil and squeezing a few drops into the water. She waited a few second longer before shutting the cold water off and after a few moments of only steaming water leaving the faucet, she turned it completely off. When he noticed that she was done, Fitz reached under her arms and pulled her towards him, turning her so that she could lie against his chest. He scooted further into the water, wanting her body to dip lower so that her breast and shoulders were fully emerged under the water.

"You know in my career, I've lost nineteen patients? Fourteen males, five females, the oldest was a ninety-three year old woman in a car accident, and the youngest was a six-teen year old boy that was shot by someone messing around with a gun." He sighed, moving his hands down her curls that waved out under the water, looking magical. "There hasn't been one patient that I wanted to see die, whether they had committed a crime and gotten hurt in the process, or just whatever, not one."

"Well of course you never wanted to lose any of your patients Fitz. That's not who you are." She listened intently, tracing a finger over his bicep that was flexed as he held her tightly to his chest.

"Today it was. Today, the man in the car…. I was happy that he died Olivia. I was thrilled even."

She sat up, and stared at him with confused eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Livvie…. When I got to the car and finally got the door opened, I saw his face and I froze. I just couldn't believe that it was him."

"Who? That it was who Fitz?"

"Jake."

Her heart immediately sped up, and her eyes widened and he felt her body go rigid at the name he spoke.

"Jake?"

"Jake Ballard was driving the car that the truck slammed into." He grabbed onto her shoulders, and moved one hand to her back, gliding up and down to help her breath deeply.

"Are you sure?" her eyes moved down to look at the water, not wanting her hopes to be up in case it wasn't true.

"Hey, look at me" He cupped her face, forcing her eyes to lock in on his. "I'd never forget his face. He was watching us, and planning something horrible, I'm sure, and now he's dead. I watched him, in shock and he knew exactly who I was. And I watched him choke on his own blood and I left him there to die after thanking him for ruining everything he had and giving me everything I'd always dreamed of.

"He's really gone? It's over?" Both her body, and voice trembled and she stopped him from pulling her closer until he answered her. "No, I need you to tell me that it's true Fitz"

"It's true. You are free, Livvie. Madison's free. We are all free. He cannot hurt us anymore, I promise."

She fell apart and Fitz held her while she cried. There were mostly tears of joy and relief, but tears of sadness somehow made their way through. She didn't feel any type of sadness in a way that she wished he were still living, no, the sadness she carried was because she knew that underneath it all, he was just a sick man that was ruined by his parents. Jake grew up not having a chance at a normal life and to be great, never outgrowing the seeds his parents planted inside of him at such a young age.

Once she was done crying, Olivia stayed in the same position on Fitz' chest, feeling completely elated and drained at the same time. She now understood why Fitz made the plans he had for Madison; she required his full attention

"We can all start healing now Livvie, together."

They didn't stay in the tub very long after that, and Olivia convinced him to go and pick up Madison, knowing she needed some time to process the day.

"Don't rush home Fitz, I promise I'll be okay, I just need to take it all in"

"I know you do, and I'm glad I don't have to worry about your safety when it comes to him, but it doesn't mean I'll ever stop worrying about everything else." He leaned over to where she sat on their bed, and kissed her softly before he finished tying his shoes and left just minutes later.

She didn't know what she planned to do the second he was gone, but when her doorbell rang, she knew that the person on the other side of the door was exactly who she needed to see.

Abby took out two large wine glasses from the cabinet and filled them with the bottle of red wine that she'd brought over with her. They downed their glasses quickly, and refilled them almost immediately and repeated the action. Olivia could feel the warm sensation in her chest, and reveled in it, wanting to block out all of the many emotions that she had been feeling that day. As happy as she was with the new of Jake being gone forever, she was completely overwhelmed and knew that people would expect her to move on from everything that happened but the demons that were birthed from her relationship with Jake wouldn't just go away. It would take some time, some healing and it wouldn't happen overnight. They found themselves outside lying on the trampoline nearly an hour later, giggling and reminiscing together. Fitz had put up the trampoline with his dad just the weekend before after his parents had bought it for them. It wasn't necessarily against their wishes, but to say they were surprised would have been an understatement, but they meant well.

"Do you remember when you threw away all the meat in the apartment and he came home and you cried and screamed how it made you nauseousand you couldn't stand the smell of it let alone knowing that it was in the house made you physically sick?"

Olivia laughed loudly while nodding her head. "I went to town on all his fancy ass steak he'd buy and chucked that shit right out the window" she clapped her hands high above her and bounced a little as she laid out on her back.

"And then later on met me for dinner and had the juiciest burger known to man. He fell for everything we threw at him while you were preggers."

"Remember the Mother's Day that I was pregnant? Ugh, he tried so hard, but I just couldn't let him make me happy"

"He was only trying to get in your good graces and he didn't deserve that. You vomiting on the breakfast he made you was so well deserved" she lifted the glass she still had in her hand up to the sky in an imaginary toast before sitting up halfway and taking a large swallow.

"I was pissed, but that wasn't on purpose! I couldn't eat eggs or bacon throughout my entire pregnancy and of course that was the first thing I smelled. Ugh, just thinking of it now makes me want to throw up. He was so upset about it though"

They laughed a little longer before they quieted down, their conversation turning more serious.

"You survived it all Liv, you and Madison"

"Yea well, I couldn't keep her safe from him, she's been hurt more times than I can count because of him, and I'm just grateful that she's out of danger now. I couldn't imagine letting her go back over there, I swear every time I felt like a part of me was missing and I would just be waiting for the phone call with the hospital on the other end telling me he'd finally killed her. Every time she left, that's what I feared the most. "

Abby knew there was nothing she could say that would change the way Olivia felt, so she reached out and squeezed her hand, hoping to give her some comfort.

"Hey," Olivia started, looking over at Abby with serious eyes. "I want to ask you something. There's something I want to do."

Fitz pulled into the garage and got Madison out of the backseat before going inside and heading over to the back door. Hadn't spotted them when he came inside and knew that Olivia didn't have people, even girlfriends in their bedroom, and although Abby would be the one exception, he could clearly hear the two of them outside in the backyard. Madison's energy finally had run out and she was quiet on the way home, and they both just listened to music when they'd gotten in the car. It was Liv's Nora Jones cd that she loved, and he knew it would help her wind down from her busy day. She wasn't asleep, but he knew she also wouldn't fight him on going to bed and wanted to give her a chance to say goodnight to her mom and aunt before putting her down.

He stepped outside and moved closer to the trampoline where Olivia was bouncing while Abby was jostled beneath her laughing. When she saw him carrying Madison, she stopped and looked guilty before walking to the opening and attempting to climb out. He reached out a hand to her, noticing her stumble so, and smiled down at her when she was stable on the ground.

"Hi beautiful"

"Hi, I umm, I'm sorry we got a little carried away, but I can come put her down" he put her hand on Madison's back and she looked at her mom uninterested, and clearly giving into sleep.

"No, Livvie you're fine, I'm gonna put her down I just brought her out to say goodnight first"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have drank so much, I just.."

"Livvie, I'm glad you did. You and Abby can have your fun, and I want you to. I got the munchkin, you stay with your friend."

"You sure?"

"When mommy can't, daddy can remember? You're not alone in this." he turned so she could reach Madison's face to give her a kiss, then she kissed his lips and he could taste the wine on her mouth. He waved at Abby, and made his way back inside.

Olivia moved around the room hurriedly, putting things in the small suitcase that sat on top of her and Fitz' bed, the following afternoon finally feeling energized enough after the previous night. Fitz had left for work before the sun had even come up and she barely remembered him kissing her goodbye, and she hadn't gotten up until Madison had awaked her just after eight that morning. She had dresses laid out on the bed, unable to decide what she would be packing, and chastised herself for being so picky. She wanted to move fast, but knew that she had run out of time when she heard the garage door open, and just a few seconds later Fitz walk into the house.

"Livvie?" he called through the house, and Olivia could tell he was making his way towards their bedroom. She heard him open Madison's bedroom door, and assumed he walked in to check on the napping girl, before she heard the door close again and he was in their doorway. She could hear the smile in his voice when he called her the second he'd stepped through the garage door, but as soon as he saw her standing next to the bed with an open suitcase next to her, his face immediately dropped.

"What's going on?" his voice was cautious and afraid, expecting the worst out of what he had come home to.

"Fitz, I want to talk to you about something. " She twisted her fingers together and started pacing in front of him, unsure of how to explain the way she was feeling. "With everything that's happened the past few weeks, I've been feeling like the walls have stopped caving in, but they're still there waiting for me to push them away. It's like the storm is over, but there's still a mess left over to clean up, and I need to do that. I'm standing in the aftermath of a tornado, and I can't move forward without a cleansing. You've been amazing, and you've held me up so much, and I couldn't have made it through losing our baby without you.."

"But" he asked in a quiet voice. Fitz was scared. The only time people had such conversations is when they were about to give someone bad news, and in this case, when they were about to end things.

Olivia walked over and took Fitz' hands in hers and rubbed them, trying her best to get him to relax and just hear her out. He was tense and unable to look her in the eyes, instead choosing to focus on a spot on the floor in between them.

"But, I need to go away. Not for long, but for Spring Break, I really need to get away. Go someplace and do an emotional detox and come back refreshed and ready to move forward."

"Move forward without me?" He stood up and pushed himself away from her. "You can't…. No. It's not right, you can't just leave…and what move on? What about us?" He saw her confused face, and held a hand up to stop her from speaking. "What about our future? Dammit Olivia, what about Madison? You can't do that! You can't rip her away from me like this! She needs me as much as I need her"

He was turning red, and his body was slightly shaking with anger that she knew he couldn't control with the way he was feeling. She hurried to him and gripped his biceps, making him stop and listen to her.

"Fitz, stop! You have to calm down and listen to me. When I said that _I_ needed to get away, I meant _I_ as in myself, _alone_, without Madison."

When his gaze finally met hers, she could see the wheels turning in his head and knew he was trying to figure out what her next words would be and if they would be the ones he hoped they were.

"Without Madison?" those words didn't make sense to Fitz at all. For as long as he'd known Olivia, the only time she'd left Madison for longer than a day is when she went to New York with him, and that took so much convincing that he thought she would change her mind before their plane took off.

"Fitz, I need to get away. Me and Abby are leaving together for three days, and I need for Madison to stay home with you. I trust you immensely, and I know that with Jake being gone forever, I don't have anything to worry about him anymore. I stopped being scared the second you told me he was dead, and that weight was lifted off my chest, but there's still some weight there that I need to get rid of, and I can't do it here. I just need a break." Olivia pulled him over towards the love seat that once sat in his apartment living room, and now sat in the corner of their master bedroom, and pushed him down before straddling his lap. "Mama needs a break, starting tomorrow morning and I need you to keep the kid. Can you make that work?"

He smiled sheepishly, hating that he had jumped to that conclusion so quickly, but couldn't help himself. "I can definitely make that work." He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, and kept his fingers moving in a trail down her neck until he was able to pull her face towards him and kiss her lips hungrily. She smiled into his kiss and started nipping at his top lip with her teeth, enjoying the grunts she was receiving from him. When she finally pulled away, she touched the red marks that littered his slightly swollen lips now.

"You sure it'll be okay with work and everything? I can see if Quinn could keep her one day, I just don't know if she's staying in town. I should've thought this through before I bought my ticket, I'm sorry, I didn't even think"

"No, it's fine, my parents are itching to have more time with her, and I'm not working any doubles the next three days and I'm off tomorrow, so that's just two days she will have to hang out with my parents."

"So I should look forward to coming home to a sickeningly spoiled little girl?"

"Oh, without a doubt" he chuckled and lifted her off of his lap before standing up and pulling her to Madison's room. "Alright we need to tell her you're leaving, and I'm assuming you will be doing her hair some kind of way before you leave?"

She dug her heels into the hardwood floor, not really stopping but slowing him down, and he turned to face her with a pleading look on his face.

"You assume wrong. I've got a lot to do before Abby picks me up tonight. Our flight leaves really early, so I want to get some rest tonight. Sorry, but you're on full out daddy duty babe and that includes hair duty"

"I like being on full out daddy duty, but I just realized I have no clue where you're going on this trip." He leaned back against the wall, and crossed his arms over his chest, and eyed her. "I noticed all those tiny dresses you had on the bed and there were bikinis as well." He reached his arm forward and grabbed at the bottom of her shirt, yanking her into his chest before moving his hands to his ass and pushing her into his growing erection. "I really hope you don't plan to show off what belongs to me while you're gone."

"Oh you mean you're not willing to share?"

He growled under his breath and bit at her neck, making her let out a squeal followed by a moan as he suck on the same spot to ease the pain. She wanted to push back form him but knew he would just finish his ministrations later than evening, making sure she was marked by his lips before she left.

"We umm, oh god baby, we should stop….. we, we.." she tried to stop him, but still moved her head so that he was able to pay the same attention to the other side of her exposed flesh. "Madison..we need to wake her up"

"Where is Abby taking my Livvie and her sexy body?" he asked moving his lips over hers while speaking the words.

"We're just going to Destin baby, nowhere far"

He pulled back and stared at her for a minute before he stood up straight and started laughing.  
"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I just realized how many annoying college students are going to be there."

"Well, we have an amazing resort that's All-Inclusive and we don't even plan to leave the hotel except for the jet skiing and massages we plan on getting."

"One, you be careful on that Jet Ski because I need you back in one piece. Two, the only people allowed to run their hands up and down your body besides me, is a large, Russian woman."

"Oh really?" she asked raising her eyebrows.

"Just letting you know the rules" he smirked his crooked smile, and pecked her lips quickly before going into Madison's room.

A few hours later, once dinner had been eaten, and Madison had been told about her mother's trip, Fitz dried the little girl off from her bath and got her dressed in her pjs before sitting the small stool in front of him, and laying a towel across his lap. Madison bounced into the room, followed closely by Olivia, and sat on the stool and looked up at Fitz, making his appearance up-side-down.

"Don't make it hurt this time daddy" She turned back around and sat with her arms on the top of his thighs, and he looked to Olivia with worried eyes.

Fitz lifted the ends of the towel that lay against his thighs, and rubbed her mane of curls until it was no longer dripping wet, then grabbed a hold of the wide tooth combed, Olivia had laid out, and went to separating her hair into four large chunks.

"Ouch!" Madison yanked her head away from him, and turned to look at him with her nose scrunched up in a way that showed her anger. "You're hurting me daddy, don't do that anymore!"

"Hey now, Madison Olivia, calm down. Daddy is not trying to hurt you. You have a mess of curls, and it has to be fixed, so relax okay? You know the drill." She kneeled down in front of her and sat back on her thighs, before handing Fitz the two different bottles in her hand. "Here babe, use some detangler first to part it, then do the oil once it's in fours."

Fitz went to spraying her hair, separated the back half, and when certain kinks caused pain, the little girl would shoot him more dirty looks, making him want to quit altogether. When the top of her head was sectioned off, he wiped his oily hands against the towel and looked at Olivia with an accomplished smile on his face.

"Alright, what's next?"

She smiled at him, and took a seat on his lap, scooting Madison's stool up a little and showed him exactly how to put a braid in the little girl's hair.

"So, this is the easiest way to do it. Just divide it into three, and weave the chunks over one another. You go over, and then under, then the same, but with this piece."

"Mommy, I like it when you do my hair, it doesn't take forever and ever." she threw her head back dramatically, and sent them both a sweet smile.

"Madison, I know that only mommy and Auntie do your hair, but daddy needs to learn how to do it now too, so you gotta be patient okay?"

"How come Fence that's my daddy does my hair, but my other daddy never did my hair" her head fell back, and she looked up at them both, her hair falling back onto their laps.

"Come here Toots" she lifted her onto her lap sideways, her legs across Fitz's thigh. "The other daddy, Jake, he's gone and we don't have to see him ever again okay? Mommy's sorry that he wasn't a good daddy to you, but Fitz, your new daddy is going to always be such a good daddy to you."

"And, I'm going to love you and take care of you, and that means doing your hair too Mads."

She groaned and scooted back down onto the stool feeling defeated, and Olivia snickered at her dramatics, and continued on with her lesson.

He picked up his side, and followed her lead, take twice as long, and concentrating so hard, Olivia found herself laughing at him.

"Not bad, now, let's try it again, but pull it a little tighter. To make it easier, let's put a hair tie on it, but once you're done with the braid, just take it out and put it on the end so it won't come out."

She showed him how to take the braid apart, and he started again, this time making the braid tight enough that Olivia left him alone about it.

"See that wasn't so bad right? Daddy did a pretty good job" Olivia lifted the little girl up and kissed her face after admiring Fitz' work. "Alright, go pick out what book you wanna hear tonight, and we'll be in in just a second"

She skipped out of the room and Liv looked at Fitz's face and laughed.

"It went better than the first time I guess"

"You're right babe, no tears this time"

He chuckled remembering the first time he'd decided to get Madison ready for bed before Olivia had come home one night and it had turned into a complete disaster. He'd seen both Olivia and his own mother tend to her hair, and figured it would be a piece of cake, but instead his little girl cried the entire time and he'd finally given up and left her hair in more of a mess than he'd started with. She hadn't spoken to him the rest of the evening and had sent him the poutiest faces as well.

"You did good babe. Thank you for doing this. I wouldn't trust anyone else to keep her while both me and Abby are gone"

"I know Livvie. I uh, I don't know if this is the right time to bring it up, but I've been thinking about this for a while now, and it just seems like the perfect time now. I've looked into everything, and the petition has to be filed for six months, but it's not a crazy intense process, especially with Madison being so young.."

"Fitz, baby, what are you talking about, just tell me"

"I want to adopt Madison. I want to legally be her father."


	11. Chapter 10

_Your little hand's wrapped around my finger  
And it's so quiet in the world tonight  
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming  
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light  
To you everything's funny, you got nothing to regret  
I'd give all I have, honey  
If you could stay like that_

_Oh darling, don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little  
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up  
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple  
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart  
And no one will desert you  
Just try to never grow up, never grow up_

**-Never Grow Up, Taylor Swift**

**Wow this took a long time to write and I'm so sorry you guys had to wait so long. I honestly had the idea and what I wanted the chapter to look like completely, but just had no emotions/depth in me to write. Needless to say I wrote it anyway, and Mo helped me TREMENDOUSLY and along with her amazing input, I was able to post this tonight! Next chapter will definitely not take as long. I hope you all enjoy this. **

Fitz stood from the couch, silently listening to the caller on the other end of the line. As he continued listening, he made his way into the kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Apparently he was thirstier than he realized, as he downed half of the bottle before coming up, gasping for air. As the caller finished speaking, he waited a few seconds to let their words sink in before responding.

"Huck, thank you so much, for everything. You have no idea just how much your help with this has meant to us." Fitz replied as he reflected on all Huck had done to help them to get through this trying time.

Huck was never one for gratitude, and he was never normally able to accept a compliment for what it was. However, he knew Fitz was genuine when he spoke, and he was glad this fiasco had finally come to an end. With Jake out of the way, Liv and Madison would finally have a chance to live a normal life.

"Fitz, you don't need to thank , and Mads are my family, and now so are you. I always look after my family. Just please let Liv know that everything has been handled. Jake's parents have been notified, and they've been in touch with his attorney about his estate. He had a will drawn up when Madison was born." Huck paused as he wasn't sure how Fitz was going to react to the next part.

"Ok, so that's good for his family I guess." Fitz sighed with exasperated breath. He really didn't care about anything else, but Huck's silence on the other end, told him there was more.

Silence flooded the line for a few beats, before Huck resumed speaking.

"Well, according to his will, all of his assets, the sale of the apartment, his cars, jewelry, etc., will be liquidated and all funds will be transferred into a trust that has been set up for Madison, with Liv as the executor. Liv doesn't have to accept the money, but if she doesn't, the money will be donated to whatever college Madison attends, on her 21st birthday. That clause was added just a few weeks ago." Huck knew this was Jake's way of trying to keep himself in Madison's life one way or another, even from the grave. From the heavy sigh he heard on the other end, Huck knewFitz assumed it too.

Fitz began pacing the kitchen as he tried to keep calm. Madison was HIS daughter, there was no doubt about that. But the thought of that... Of Jake, the man who had treated his girls like shit for years, trying to feign concern for Madison's well-being, in death, had Fitz seeing red. He didn't want one red cent of that money to come anywhere near his baby girl. The lives that were lost or destroyed, all in the name of power, there was no way. Madison was too good for anything Jake could possibly offer her, and he knew Liv would feel the same way.

Fitz closed his eyes and took a deep breath, when he realized he was now gripping the edges of the counter so hard that his knuckles were turning white. He reminded himself that this was ultimately Liv's decision, and whatever she decided, he would support her fully. Whatever proved to be in Madison's best interest was all that mattered.

"Thanks Huck. Once Liv and Abby return from their "retreat", we will begin tying up loose ends with Abby for the adoption process, so Liv and I will sit down with her and discuss everything then."

"I understand…. So, adoption huh?"

Fitz smiled, and immediately began to relax as he thought about how he would soon become Madison's legal parent. He leaned back against the island, and couldn't stop his hands from excitedly twisting the top on the water bottle. "Yea... I'm going to be Maddy's daddy."

"You are her daddy." Huck stated matter-of-factly. It wasn't lost on him or anyone for that matter, just how close the two of them had become. He knew Madison and Liv were Fitz's world, and he was glad they had Fitz in their lives.

"I know I'm her daddy, and she's my baby girl, but I want the world to know that she is mine and I am hers." Fitz replied with such conviction in his voice, Huck had no choice but to smile.

"So, when did this decision take place?" Huck asked as he could feel Fitz beaming through the phone. Fitz turned to the refrigerator, and looked at a picture Madison had drawn of the three of them in front of their home. It was mostly a series of scribbles and lines, but he couldn't stop the feeling of pride that washed over him when he responded.

"From the day I met Madison, I knew HAD to be in her life." Fitz paused as he reflected back to the day Liv and Madison entered his life like a whirlwind. Walking into that room was by far, the best thing that had ever happened to him. "I've wanted this pretty much since then. I uh.. It was something I didn't think would happenthis soon, but given recent events, certain obstacles have been lifted. I love that little girl more than life itself. I don't want to waste any more time making this official."

"I'm sure Olivia was happy about it."

"Well, I'd say she was a little caught off guard" he answered with a hearty laugh as he thought back to Liv's reaction to his declaration. "It was really out of the blue. I can't say that I would have normally chosen that particular moment or even that day, but yea, I asked and she eagerly agreed."

Fitz knew he was smiling like a Cheshire cat, but he couldn't help it. Olivia had been very happy at the thought of him adopting Madison, and agreed to have the petition drawn up once she returned.

"I'm glad things are beginning to look up. Liv and Mads deserve to be happy. You make them happy."

"They make me happy... Happier than I've ever been. I'm glad we can finally move on and focus on our family."

There was a peaceful silence between them as they both realized that the storm had passed. Huck looked down at his watch, and knew he had to get started on another task. "Fitz, I have to go. Sorry I called so early."

"It was no problem Huck. Liv left out not too long ago, and Madison is still sleeping, so the timing was perfect." Fitz knew Huck wasn't the sentimental type, and figured he was slightly uncomfortable with the way their conversation had shifted. Wanting to put Huck out of his misery, Fitz simply said "Thanks again", just before the line went dead.

With Huck's update out of the way, Fitz went and checked to make sure the front door was locked and reactivated the alarm. Once he was sure the house was secure, he made his way back to the bedroom.

Fitz had been able to switch shifts with another Attending, and wasn't due to go in until seven that night. Since the sun was barely up, he figured he could possibly get another hour of sleep before Madison woke up. That is if he could manage to sleep quietly.

A few weeks ago,Olivia had been startled out of her sleep by what sounded like a small freight train lodged in Fitz's throat. For as many times as she had slept next to him, she'd never heard him snore. She would hear the sounds of heavy breathing as he slept, but never had she heard anything remotely close to what came out of him that night.

It was his third night working in the ER, and he had been stuck pulling back to back eighteen hour shifts. When he returned home and collapsed into bed, to say Fitz was exhausted would have been an understatement. Liv learned that night that if he was completely exhausted, he snored loud enough to wake the entire house. This was a revelation his little girl had made quite clear, that she was NOT fond of. Fitz had been startled awake one morning when he was struggling to breathe. When he opened his eyes, he learned the culprit was Madison's tiny fingers, pinching his nose shut. When he finally awoke, she let go of his nose and stared at him for a moment. "Daddy shhhh" she cried as she let out a heavy sigh and scooted away from him. Once Fitz realized what was going on, he shook his head as he watched her grumpy frame snuggling into her mother, as she quickly fell back to sleep. He quickly realized that Madison plugging his nose was her way of letting him know the noise he was making, needed to stop.

Fitz looked at his daughter who was sleeping peacefully, curled up in a tight ball. He climbed in the bed next to her, and grabbed the remote for the ceiling fan, and set it to low. He faced her sleeping form, smiling at how innocent she looked. Wanting to hold his baby girl, Fitz slid his arm under her body, and pulled her into his chest before bringing the comforter up to cover them. Sensing his presence, Madison nuzzled her head under his chin, and one hand made its way from under the comforter. She subconsciously rested her hand on his chin, and then moved from his chin to his ear, resting in its usual spot. Fitz chuckled softly as she reminded him so much of Liv in this moment. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, before closing his eyes and quickly drifting off to sleep.

"Sand, sun, mojitos, and quiet. This is going to be great!" Abby gushed as their cab stopped in front of their hotel.

After leaving the house at 4:30 to catch their four hour flight- which departed at six- then the 25 min cab ride to the hotel, Liv just wanted a shower and take a nap. She still wasn't feeling like herself, but she knew Abby was right; she needed this time away. She deserved this time away, and she was going to try to enjoy it as best she could.

Olivia stepped out of the cab and smiled at the driver who was holding the door open for her and Abby. Her smile broadened as she realized it was bright, sunny, and warm out. This was definitely what she needed. Once they had collected their suitcases, the pair made their way inside for check-in.

Liv walked through the door with a confidence that made heads turn. Her hair was in its natural curls and a pair of white mid-thigh shorts and a teal tank top concealed her bikini clad- ready body. She was so glad Abby talked her into changing in the bathroom before they left the airport as her black yoga pants and Uggs, were not fit for such beautiful weather. Liv thought about the look on Fitz's face when he had peeked through her carry-on bag and noticed the tiny, warm weather clothes. North Carolina weather was a vast change from Florida's, so she had to dress accordingly.

"Are those my flip flops?" Abby asked as she looked down at Liv's feet.

"No Abby. These are the flip flops I let you borrow and only got back when you left them in my room a year later."

"Oh yeah... Oops."

"Mmhmm, come on, let's go check in."

Abby and Liv made their way hand in hand to the counter, skipping like a couple of teenage besties, laughing along the way at how young and childish they probably looked. When they arrived, they were met by a woman who appeared to be in her early 50's, and Liv immediately fell in love with her thick Brazilian accent.

"Welcome to the Hilton Pensacola, can I have your reservation name please" The receptionist named Rosella greeted with a warm smile.

"Yes. We have a reservation under Abigail Whelan. This is Olivia Grant, and she'll be the other party to the room." Abby said, earning her a slight jab to the ribs from Liv.

The woman was able to pull up their reservations, and added Olivia Grant to the reservation, just in case she should need assistance from the staff. She handed them their key cards, and Abby and Olivia smiled politely and thanked the woman, before making their way up to their room.

Olivia plopped her bag down on one of the beds and went to open the doors that led to the small balcony which overlooked the large pool area. She stood for a moment just taking in her environment and enjoying the warm rays of the sun beating down on her skin. She noticed that just beyond the pool area were tons of people spending the day on the beach. Whether they were single men cruising for women, college kids sunbathing, or on a family enjoying a game a Frisbee, everyone seemed to be having a blast, under the Florida sun.

This was exactly what she needed.

Her thoughts began to drift to the beaches she and Fitz would possibly visit on their honeymoon. Nothing but crystal blue waters and pink or white sand stretching as far as the eye can see. When the time did come, she'd be sure to make sure Fitz knew that was what she wanted. She had never been out of the country, and it was something she wanted to experience firsthand with him as Mrs. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. Liv was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't even heard Abby calling out to her.

"Liv! Are you ok?" Abby asked as she joined Liv on the balcony.

"I'm fine. Just taking in my surroundings. It's so beautiful here." Liv responded, truly happy she decided to come.

"Well if you're ok, I say we set up our massage appointments and grab some food. I swear my stomach is eating itself right now. Oh and you may as well contact lover boy and tell him you're safe because no phone are allowed once we step out of this room."

"Umm... Yeah, I'll do that now."

Abby walked back into the room and began rifling through her bag to find something more appropriate to wear for a massage, while still eyeing Olivia who remained on the balcony, still taking in the view.

"Thank you for bringing me here Abs, it's exactly what I needed." She didn't turn all the way around, but just enough to catch her friends' eyes.

"Don't thank me just yet. We've got so much to do and not enough time."

Abby paused as she saw the tears building up in her best friend's eyes. Honestly, she wasn't ready to break down with her just yet. It may have been a little selfish to think that way, but Abby need a little more time. She knew once the water-works began, the entire day would be , would defeat the entire purpose of this trip.

"I'm gonna see when they can fit us in. You, start deciding what you want for lunch." Abby said as she picked up the binder on the dresser that contained the info on the amenities the hotel provided. With binder in hand, Abby walked over to Olivia and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's over Liv. You and Mads are safe. Now it's time for us to focus on healing you so you can focus on your family. It's really going to be okay Liv."

Olivia nodded and wiped her tears, not wanting to go to that place so soon. Needing to get her mind off of things, she followed Abby's suit and changed into clothes that would be fitting for the massage.

Since they had a few hours before they were due to get their massages, they decided to grab something to eat at the restaurant downstairs. They ordered large salads loaded with as many toppings as their plates could hold, and iced green tea as their drinks. They enjoyed their lunch on the restaurant's patio, which included idle chit chat and people watching on that beautiful afternoon. When they were finished, they made their way to the hotel's spa with less than fifteen minutes to spare before it was time for their appointments.

Abby was the first to jump on a massage table, ready for magical hands to ease her tension. She looked over and noticed a hesitant Liv, just staring at the station that had been set up for her. "It's been forever since we've done one of these together. It better not be a repeat of LA 2009, Liv." Abby warned with the most serious face she could muster in the moment.

Olivia laughed loudly remembering exactly what "massage" she was referring to.

"Well, it's been forever since I've had one, but I will try my best to not let history repeat itself. Either way, you can't blame me, it seriously wasn't my fault!"

"You were boozed up and instead of being relaxed like a normal person, you were cackling like a hyena every time the man touched you!"

"I couldn't help myself, no man's hands should be that soft and I'm ticklish. You, have to admit, you were mad because it was so funny, yet you were egging him on Whelan and you know it!" Liv laughed out as she shoved Abby's arm.

They laid there and talked for a few more minutes before the masseuse came in and began their work. Olivia knew Fitz wouldn't approve too much, but that didn't stop her from getting a male masseuse, and she was happy with her decision. She was sore and her body was tense. She could feel tiny knots all over her body; she needed this. Of course this was no comparison to the massages Fitz would give her, but it was perfection at the moment.

Olivia could hear Abby giving orders to the man tending to her body, and could only shake her head. She felt bad for the guy because she knew her friend wouldn't be satisfied unless the job was done right. She tried her best to block out Abby's orders, and allowed herself to close her eyes, and give in to the massage.

_Olivia walked into the house with grocery bags hanging off both of her hands__. She never liked making more than one trip unless it was absolutely necessary.__ She __decided to leave__ the garage door open__,as__ she planned on bringing the trashcans __up from the curb.__ Fitz__ would be working late, and although he insisted on doing the task, it made no sense to leave them when she had no problems doing it herself._

_As she entered the kitchen,Liv__ heard what sounded like a car door slamming__ in the garage. Before__ she could turn around to investigate the noise, she saw her sexy fiancé sprinting towards her__. He wasin front of her__ within seconds, __and the__ bags were dropped onto the floor, __as __she was hulled into the air,__her legs instinctively__ wrapped around his waist__. _

"_What are …." __ Was all she could manage to get out as Fitz's mouth crashed hungrily onto hers, and he began sucking on her bottom lip. _

_Liv returned the kiss with equal fervor, enjoying the taste of his lips and tongue as they invaded her mouth. The__ feeling she __normally gets__ upon seeing him had already intensified, __and soon she found herself needing to be closer. She__ moved her fingers to the ends of his scrub __top__ and began tugging at it, letting him know __it simply needed to go.__ "Baby, why are you home?"_

_He didn't answer her right away, instead his hands moved to the button of her jeans, and __he wasted no time pulling them off of her and tossing them across the room. _

"_I __needed to touch you, taste you, and feel you. Our__ daughter has made it impossible for me to touch you these past few days__.After__ those texts you sent me,__ and that visual you painted of you in the shower,__ I had to take my lunch now because __I'm__ starving." He __mouth immediately latched onto her neck, and Liv moaned as she felt his teeth grazing her tilted her head to allow him better access, and immediately felt the moisture pooling between her thighs as he left a trail__ of __frantic __kisses __down to__ her collarbone. _

"_W__-What..__should I__.. .__make__... __lunch?"__ she panted as he was making it damn near impossible for her to felt a twitch in his pants at the huskiness in her voice, and he could feel her chest heaving under his touch. _

_Fitz stepped back and admired his handiwork. He knew she'd be mad at him for leaving marks, but he couldn't help himself. Not wanting to waste any time,__ Fitz sat her down on the island and __stepped between her parted thighs. Their mouths reconnected as her legs wrapped around his waist, and Liv moaned at the mix of pain and excitement of Fitz__ looping his fingers through her black__ laced__ panties__, beforeripping them off of her body. _

"_I'm pretty sure you've already made my lunch baby" __Fitz growled into her ear before gently pulling her lobe between his teeth. _

_She gasped as she felt his fingers gliding between her parted folds. He was going painfully slow, as he circled patterns around her aching nub. _

_"Fitz, we don't have... Ooooh" She gasped as she felt first one and then a second__ finger entered her slowly__._

_Fitz resumed kissing her neck as his free hand made quick work of her shirt and bra. Once__ he felt her body opening up further to accommodate __the thickness of his__ fingers, he eased them out__ slightly, before thrusting them back in._

_Fitz's mouth latched onto her hardened nipple, as his free hand paid attention to the other. The sensations of Fitz's hand and mouth on her were causing Liv's head to spin as she began grinding her hips against him. _

_"No baby, keeps those sexy legs spread for me." Fitz demanded as he felt__ her legs __attempting to __ nudged them __apart once again,before he begandriving__ his fingers__ even__ faster into her__ dripping__ core__. _

_"Fitz... Oh... F-Fitz.. I... Oh yess!" She cried out as his__ free hand held her right thigh __in place__.__ Her hands began tugging at his hair and she forcefully brought his mouth to hers as__ Fitz twisted his fingers upwards, __making sure to hit each one of her 's__ back arched __when she felt his gently tug on her sensitive nippleas his thumb began working circles on her clit. Fitz moaned into her mouth as__ felt her fingers slid into his hair and pull at his curls tightly. _

"_Fitz, I .. I need, oh god baby__... Don't stop!"_

_Fitz halted his movements causing a groan of frustration to escape her lips. When their eyes locked, and she could see the intensity of his hunger, her breath hitched. He withdrew his fingers from her core and held them up to her lips which she accepted with hooded eyes. _

"_You are so perfect__.. So fucking sexy__ baby__..Tell__ me what you want? __What do you want me to do to you now?" Fitz asked as he thought back to the explicit texts she had sent earlier that morning._

_"__You like talking to me dirty, don't you baby? Tell me__, tell me__ exactly what you want Livvie" he__ demanded as he lay her down across the counter and his mouth immediate latched on to the flesh of her inner thigh. _

_He was sucking hard on the spot just beside where she needed him most, as he thrust his fingers back inside of her drenched heat. She gasped at his unexpected move, and Fitz licked his lips as he felt a new wave of arousal, seeping from her body. Hewanted__ to create the right amount of pain and pleasure to give her exactly what__ he knew__ she craved__.He was going to make sure this moment was etched into her memory for years to come._

"_Fitz.." she__ cried out as she frantically tried to gather her thoughts. She__ bit her bottom lip, and gripped his hair, __as it was becoming too much. She tugged on his hair causing him to obediently halt his__ministrations._

_Fitz looked over Liv's body and his pants were now uncomfortable as he took in her tousled hair, bee stung lips, and heaving chest, and he hadn't even really gotten started yet. "What. Do. You. Want?" he asked again as his thumb grazed her clit, causing her to gasp. _

"_Taste__ me__ Fitz. I want you to take your mouth and that long, thick tongue, and make me cum... So fucking hard." She demanded in a voice that almost made Fitz cum on the spot. __His eyes locked on hers and she whimpered when she felt his fingers go still inside of her__._

_He looked up into her lustful eyes__and mouth__ed__ "I love you" __before lowering his head and placing one long lick between her folds. His fingers resumed at a slower pace, as his mouth began slowly feasting on her most sacred of areas. The feel of Liv's fingers tugging at his hair only seemed to get him more riled up. _

_Fitz needed to taste more of her. Her body was flowing like a fountain, but it wasn't enough. He quickly moved her legs onto his shoulders, then lifted her hips slightly as he thrust his tongue into her warm walls. _

_"Fuck!" Liv screamed out as Fitz's thumb began working on her sensitive nub, while his tongue was stroking her walls at a rapid pace. _

_Liv was climbing the walls as she felt the beginning of her climax stirring within. He pulled his head further into her as her hips grinded against him, her body craving this explosive release. Fitz was having trouble breathing as her legs locked around his neck but he didn't care. If this was how he would die, he would die a happy man. In one expert move, Fitz's fingers reentered her core, and hooked to hit her spot, just as his mouth closed over her clit. He sucked on the nub hard, causing her legs to shake violently, and a silent scream to escape her lips as her orgasm wrecked her from the inside, out. _

_When her body finally began to calm, Fitz__ slid__ his fingers__ from her warm__th__, __and__ started__ in amazement__ at the juices that __flowed freely__ out of her opening__. He was in awe, and__ felt his dick twitch at the sight__ as he greedily lapped up every drop._

_Liv's breath hitched as she saw Fitz's face emerge from between her legs, thoroughly drenched in her juices. Fitz began kissing his way up her body and growled when Liv's hands moved to release his erection from its restraints. He slipped his tongue between her slightly parted lips, and Liv felt herself needing him inside of her as she tasted herself on him. Unable to wait any longer, Liv reached down between them and lined him up with her core. "Now I want you to fuck me." She said, turning Fitz on even more in the moment._

_In one thrust Fitz found himself fully sheathed inside of her soft pulsating walls. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and their lips began claiming each other hungrily as they moved together at a rapid pace. _

_"Deeper..." Liv moaned against his lips before sliding her tongue back into his mouth. Fitz quickly scooped Liv up and slammed her against the refrigerator before pounding into her at break neck speed. She wasn't sure how or when he did it, but Liv soon felt her legs hanging over the bends in Fitz's elbows which allowed him to go almost painfully deep. _

_"Don't... Stop... Don't you dare fucking stop." She hissed out as her nails began clawing at his chest._

_"Cum for me Livvie. I can feel it. I know you want to. Make us cum together baby." Fitz demanded as his thumb made its way back to her clit. He felt her walls begin to clamp down and her body tense up as she came hard, and brought him over the edge with her. _

_Not wanting to drop her, Fitz slid their exhausted, sweat covered bodies, down to the floor. __ He__ placed tender kisses along her jaw until they were both able to calm her breathing evened out, sheclosed her eyes and__ rested her head against his __chest__. _

"_Lunch was incredible!" Fitz said cheekily at the sound of a sated Liv, sighing against his chest. __He heard her whimper__ something__ sheepishly__ in response. They sat for a few moments in silence__ before she pulled back with a blush heating up her face._

"_You know how I've been lately. I can't control myself__. If anything it's your fault for being so sexy. When __you're around and__ I can't have you because__ like you said, our daughter has made it her business to climb into our bed every night this week, I __just miss__ you so much and go crazy. Plus, these hormones__ aren't doing anything to help the situation so really you should be blaming__ your offspring. Both of them."_

"_Hey now, don't you go blaming either of my girls for your baaadd behavior." His hands were instantly on her small hardened belly, loving the curve of her 16 week old stomach. It was his new favorite thing about her body, and she knew it._

"_There could be a boy in there you know? My little mini Fitz with your gorgeous eyes."_

"_That does sound nice, but I know what I'm talking about Livvie, and this one here is Madison 2.0"_

"_You're such a dork" she threw her head back laughing__. She closed her eyes and realized she couldn't be any happier than she was in this moment. _

"_Liv."_

"_Liv"_

"_Liv"_

Olivia's head popped up in surprise, realizing she had dozed off. To her dismay, was still on the massage looked over and saw Abby who was getting dressed, shooting her a knowing look.

"How nice for sleeping beauty to finally awake from her dreams."

"Shut up Abby!" Liv spat jokingly as she threw a towel across the room at her.

"I think I can safely assume you were dreaming about Fitz? Because if not, then we're gonna have a talk about the moaning.For a hot second I thought it was from the masseuse."

"Oh god, you heard that?"

"Nope, but clearly you were moaning in your dream... Oh but you did mumble something that sounded like deeper. So Fitz is really putting in work huh? He must be to have you moaning like that in your sleep."

"Bite me Abby."

"Don't be so feisty. I'm just teasing you. Honestly you weren'tthat bad.You dozed off right as they were finishing up, and I just let you sleep. You were out five minutes, tops. They didn't even hear the moaning or anything."

She noticed the dullest twinkle in Olivia's eyes, and wondered what exactly her dream was about.

"Hey Liv"

Her head popped up and Abby saw the tears that the twinkle was gone, and tears now clouded her best friend's eyes.

"How about we head back to the can drink our wine and watch some really a soap operas... Or.. We could talk.." Liv thought for a moment and decided going back to their room would be perfect.

"Let's go" Liv said as she and Abby finished changing into their clothes and made their way upstairs.

It was barely three o'clock in the afternoon, but Abby knew the red wine was a necessity at the moment.Wanting her to relax, she filled the glasses nearly to the brim before handing Olivia the tall glass. With glasses in hand, Abby and Liv sank into the plush pillows on the bed, and turned on their sides to face each other.

Abby sat quietly, knowing Liv would speak when she was ready. She knew she was nervous about whatever was in her dream as she watched she watched Liv nervously toy with the stem as her eyes found the glass was suddenly very interesting in the moment.

"I was pregnant... In the dream, I mean."She whispered keeping her eyes trained on the wine glass.

"I had just come in from grocery shopping and it had been a crazy week. Madison I guess kept sneaking in our room every night for some reason, and we were both just so... horny"

"Of course you were" Abby added in with a playful roll of her eye. She was happy to see a small smirk form on Olivia's lips.

"Yea, so, Fitz had decided to come home on his lunch break. He walked in wearing his scrubs and I just..." Liv paused and clenched her legs tightly as just thinking about the dream had her aching for him to be inside of her."Well, basically we had some fun, A LOT of , well, then we just talked about the baby, ya know? He swore it was another girl. He called her Madison 2.0 and he refused to listen to my speculations that it was a boy" She quickly drained her glass of the wine before she burrowed into the pillow, and allowed the tears to fall. "I really had no clue I was pregnant, and I know the timing wasn't good, but I wish our baby was still here. I know Fitz is hurting too, no matter how okay he says he is, I feel like he isn't telling me the truth about it"

"Liv, he's not lying to you. We've talked,at the hospital, and he even called me a few days later. He's okay, Liv.. He's hurt, and he hates that this happened to the both of you, but he really is 's just been worried about you. He wasn't sure if he was being what you needed him to be, but I assured him that you just needed time to heal mentally and emotionally."

Olivia was shocked at the revelation as Fitz hadn't mentioned him speaking to Abby about the miscarriage. She simply nodded her head, appreciating the fact that Fitz was comfortable confiding in Abby, and that she had been receptive. Having the love of her life and her best friend be able to communicate on their own, made her feel like everything would truly be okay.

"I love him so much Abs, and now that Jake is gone, I feel like things are really starting to change for the better.We can finally start planning our future. I swear this is the first time in forever that I've not been scared of what's to come. I'm actually excited about what our future will bring."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"It's really good, it's great. I feel like I can move on now from everything. I can finally leave Jake in the past, and although I'll never forget our baby, wecan move forward and know that we will try for more in the future"

"Do you want to try right away, or do you guysjust happy practicing for now?" Abby noticed that Olivia wasn't crying anymore, and that she seemed to have needed to just let out a few tears in that moment.

"That's something we need to talk about a little more. We've talked before, but I do know that when we do have a baby, I really want to stay home until it's able to go to preschool, like I did with Madison. I don't want someone else raising our kids. Marriage will definitely come first."

"Well what are you waiting for then? We can be looking for gowns and my dress because you know, maid of honor must be on fleek."

"He has to ask me first Abby. And did you just say fleek?" she chuckled and swung the pillow that was in her lap at her, before bringing it back.

"Well, I'll just have to whisper in his ear to step on the gas. Neither of you are getting any younger"

"Oh shut up, don't you dare say a word to him Abby.I want him do this on his own. In his own time, and in his own way. I know we both want the same things, so I'm okay with waiting for him."

"Daaaaaa-dyyyy, can we go in that store over there?" Madison asked while swinging their arms back and forth. She loved when her tiny hand was tucked safely into her daddy's much larger one.

Fitz honestly had no clue how she'd convinced him to take her to the mall almost as soon as they'd finishedeating breakfast. All he knew was that while he was cleaning up their mess, Madison ran off to her room, and returned a few moments had dressed herself in an a pair of silver and black polka dot leggings, a sparkly red and orange polka dotted layered skirt, a pink and purple polka dot shirt, orange and white polka dotted socks, and her pink and blue sparkly sneakers.

'At least there's a theme this time' Fitz thought as he took in his daughter's unique ensemble. The next thing he knew, Mads was on his lap batting her tiny eyelashes as her does eyes stared into his, and her bottom lip poked out, just like her mother. When she finally asked him to take her to the big mall with the playground at the top, he knew he couldn't refuse. It was as if she knew he wouldn't say no to her.

"Fine, we can go. But daddy has to do your hair first."

Madison thought about it for a moment and wasn't entirely happy, but she eventually gave in. Fitz lifted her up in his arms, and the two of them made their way into the bathroom. He tried to remember the steps Liv had shown him, and everything seemed to be okay at first, that is until he hit a hidden tangle.

Madison flinched as the comb was stuck in her hair, and Fitz felt horrible for hurting her. He never wanted to hurt her. He remembered Liv saying something about detangler, and went into search of the spray. Once he found it, he sprayed a little on the tangle and was able to get it out.

He continued working on Madison's hair, and when he was finished, they both turned and looked into the mirror.

"Daddy..."

"Yea Mads?"

"I look like a powder poof! Mommy is gonna yell."

Fitz honestly thought he had done everything correctly, so he wasn't sure why Madison's curls had turned into a frizzy, curly, afro poof, with one straight patch in the back from the detangler. Knowing that he needed a little more practice, Fitz pulled out his phone and called the one person he knew could help. Within ten minutes of ending his call,Fitz was dressed and the two them made their way out of the home. Fitz placed Madison in the car and made sure she was secure before a pout could even appear on her face. After a 30 minute pit stop to his parents' house so his mom could fix Madison's hair, the two of them were on their way to the mall where they had spent the entire morning shopping."

"Which store Mads?

"The animal store daddy"

"Lead the way princess Maddie."

He felt her hand tighten against his as she took off towards the pet store, her tiny frame dragging his much larger one behind her. When they arrived at the pet store,they saw sixtiny puppies with big eyes, running around in a cage in the display window. He expected his little girl to stop and gawk at the small, yapping dogs, begging to take one home, and she did smile at them for a few seconds, but that wasn't what interested her.

An overly excited Madisontook off into the store with Fitz trailing her as she searched for what intrigued her most. He knew what she was looking for, and in the back of his mind, he prayed that the store didn't carry them. Madison had him wrapped around her little finger and he knew if she asked, he wouldn't be able to say no.

Madison suddenly stopped and crouched her little body down to look closely into squealed with delight as she saw it moving around, and looked up at Fitz with the brightest smile he had ever seen on her face. He swallowed hard as he knew what was coming, and prayed that Liv wouldn't kill him for doing this.

"Daddy, can we get it? Pleeeeease"

With the entire morning, and a good portion of the afternoon gone, it was finally time to say goodbye to the mall, so Fitz could head home and change, before dropping Madison off with his mother before work. Whilethey were walking towards the mall's exit, flashing lights caught Fitz's attention. When he realized what store it was, he shifted the items that he was carrying, and focused his attention on the display case.

"Daddy where are we going?" Madison asked as she was thrilled with what they had gotten from the store.Leaving meant she could go and play with her new had made it very clear that they couldn't open anything until they were back at home, and she wanted to get there as quickly as possible. They were almost out the door, but now her daddy was stalling.

"Mads, I just need to make one quick stop. I want to look for a surprise for we'll go home okay?"

"A surprise? Like a secret gift?" Madison squealed as she loved having secrets with daddy that made mommy smile.

"Exactly like a secret gift. Can you keep it a secret and not tell mommy?" Madison nodded that she could, and smiled when Fitz bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

The moment they walked inside, the two of them were greeted by the sales clerk. Fitz politely declined the offer for help, saying he was content to look around himself. This was something he'd been meaning to do, but couldn't really find the time. He already had a picture in his mind of what he was looking for, and as he passed the third display, he finally found it.

"Wow daddy! Mommy is gonna like her surprise! I know where she'll put it!" Madison squealed as she took in the item Fitz was now studying.

"Oh really? You know where she'll put it?" Madison nodded her head. "Ok then whisper it in my ear." Madison did so and when Fitz nodded, she squealed again.

"This is it. This the one I want. I'm ready to check out." Fitz said as the salesman rushed over to assist him.

The man studied Fitz's face for a moment, wondering if this was what he wanted to purchase. He had after all only been in the store for no more than five minutes. As he decided his customer's mind was made up, the man rang up Fitz's purchase, and made sure he had all of the information and care instructions for the item. Fitz thanked the man kindly, and he and Madison were now set to head home.

Abby and Olivia sat at the outside bar,sipping on their mango mojitos. Olivia was on her second drink and with the way her body was swaying side to side in her chair, she was definitely feeling the music. Abby was still on her first drink while enjoying the breeze that was coming off the water.

"Hi"

Olivia and Abby turned towards where they heard the voice. They looked the men up and down, both clearly annoyed by their presence. They were tall, and they were handsome. One resembled Shemar Moore, looking like he stepped off of the cover of GQ.The other was handsome, and resembled Derek Jeter, but they could tell he was often overlooked as he stood by his friend. The taller one who Liv, in her mind had already dubbed "Shemar", kept his eyes locked onher. He wore a white linen shirt with khakis, but his friend was dressed a bit more casual in a pair of swim trunks and a t-shirt.

With his eyes still locked on Liv, he decided they should introduce themselves. "My name is Michael, and this is Elijah. Can we buy you beautiful ladies a drink?"

Liv looked to Abby, then back to the men before smiling politely. "Hello Michael, Elijah. I'm sorry, but we're gonna have to pass. Thank you for the offer though." Olivia responded politely.

"Well, are you ladies here with someone? I'm not seeing any jewelry on a particular finger" Elijah spoke up, licking his lips favorably. Liv just looked to Abby, signaling that she was letting her off of her leash.

"Just because you don't see it doesn't mean a commitment is not there. Don't let jewelry, or lack-there-of fool you. We would.."

Before Abby could finish her sentence, Liv's phone started to ring, bringing up a picture of Fitz and Madison.

"You guys okay up there?" Olivia spoke a little louder than necessary.

"Livvie? What are you talking about?"

"Is she giving you a hard time? Should I come back up?" Liv asked, hoping Fitz would catch on.

"Babe, are you creating a diversion?" Fitz said, finally catching on.

"You're right. She'll be fine. I'll see you two in a few minutes. Oh, I made sure to order that thing just for you, baby" Liv said, making sure to drop her voice a few octaves in the end.

"Wait" Abby spoke up. "Tell him to stop past the room and see what's taking David and the boys so long"

Olivia nodded and gave Fitz the message, while he sat silently on the other end of the phone.

"He said the boys were wrestling and David had to break them up. He is on his way down with them now."

Taking the hint, Elijah gave a slight nod to the two of them. "You ladies enjoy the rest of your stay" The two men walked away, and while Abby snickered, Olivia rolled her eyes at the two men already walking up to a new group of females.

"Mmmm, hi babe. I'm sorry about that."

"Hi know, I'm not surprised that guys are hitting on you down there. I'm just not sure how much I like it. Especially with you and Abby being there alone."

"Fitz baby we're fine, there are hundreds of people here, and nothing's going to happen to us. We are going to have one more drink, maybe go to the indoor Jacuzzi, order room service and go to bed. How are my two favorite people in the world? I miss you two."

"We miss you too, and we are doing great. Our girl had me up bright and early and convinced me to take her to the mall. Do NOT ask me how she did that, because I still have no clue myself, but it happened. So, we spent the morning shopping like only daddies and daughters can, and I just dropped her off at my parents' house."

"I thought you were on a different shift today?"

"I was able to switch with someone, so I'm heading in now and will be off at five."

"Then you're gonna crash. I know it'll be super early, but make sure you text me, so I at least know you made it back home in one piece. Are your parents gonna keep Mads so you can rest?"

"For the most part.Once I clock out, I'm heading to their place and I'll just crash with Madison there. I don't like us both being away from her for too long."

"Thank you babe, I agree. Are you at work yet? Can we facetime really quick before I call the mini shopaholic?"

"I'm just getting in babe, but if you really miss me, I can give you a five-thirty wake-up call and we can even have a little fun with it."

Olivia squeezed her thighs together at the sensual tone of his voice, and took a sip of her mojito. "Don't tease me like that Fitzgerald. Definitely not when I'm sitting here, all alone." she said breathlessly.

"Oh, full name huh? You must be feeling all kinds of naughty right now, huh?"

"If you only knew."

"Oh really? So, what are you wearing right now that has men gawking at you. I think I deserve a visual."

"Just a white sun dress. You know the one that ties around my neck."

"Hmmmm... What about underneath it?"

"I would so tell you right now. But, sadly I can't because you have to work, and don't have time to be inappropriate. So, I'm hanging up now. I love you, and I do expect that wake-up call." she managed to get out before ending the call.

Abby shook her head at Olivia and turned in her seat. She had never seen Liv so open or so happy with anyone. She was truly happy for her friend.

"So should I get a new room for the night to give you guys some privacy?" Abby asked as she knew how the two of them could be at any given time.

"No. And you don't get off that easy Red. You are not that quick on the fly when it comes to fake boyfriends, so spill. Who the hell is David?" Liv saw Abby blush at the mention of David's name and immediately knew she really liked him.

"He's just someone I've been seeing. I don't need you to make a big deal out of it okay? It's all so new." Abby said hoping Liv would change the subject.

"Well, I won't go crazy on you for keeping this a secret from me, but I need a few details Abs. Where did you meet? What does he do? Are things going well? How is he in bed?"

"He's related to one of the guys at the office. He's a therapist, and things are okay. Like I said, it's not a big deal right now. It's very new, so there's not much to tell, but when there is, you'll be the first to know." Abby said a little harsher than she intended.

"Well okay then, forget I asked" Olivia fired back, completely caught off guard by Abby's tone. Liv turned to her drink, and took a long sip, effectively draining her glass. She winced for a moment when she felt the brain freeze beginning.

"Liv, I'm sorry. David is a therapist that I found in our database and when I went to meet with him, there was just something about him.."

"Wait, why were you looking for a therapist? Is everything ok?"

Abby didn't speak right away but knew she had to finally explain things to her friend."Well Liv, you had a lot going on, a lot of with Jake and Maddie, and then with losing the baby, I was worried about you. I was afraid you were on the verge of a breakdown, and I wanted to find someone for you to talk to- professionally, as a precaution. I didn't want to wait until the last minute and regret not doing something sooner.So, I went searching for a doctor for you,but then I met with David. I felt horrible because we just hit it off right away, but I knew he would have been the best therapist for you. I made it clear to him that if you needed to see him, that we couldn't continue seeing each other.He was fine with it. Regardless, like I said, we're taking things really slow because I want him to be available if you feel therapy is something you may need."

Liv sat quietly for a moment, thinking over everything Abby had just said. She couldn't believe Abby would put off a chance if finding her own slice of happiness, just on the off chance she needed to speak to someone. She was truly blessed to have friend as amazing as Abby in her life.

"I appreciate you so much Abs. I can't thank you enough for being there for me and with me through everything that has happened.I will be honest with you. Things were bad, really tough for a while, but things are finally starting tolook up. I'm so happy and so very content right now. I know things were touch and go for a while, but I'm in a good place. Besides, I know that I have you and Fitz looking out for me. I know both of you would tell me when I do need help. For now, I want you to go get your happy and to know David more."

"Are you sure Liv?"

"I'm more than sure. Now, cut the slow crap, what's he like, really?

"This is crazy as hell Abby! If anything happens to me, you know Fitz is going to kill you right?" Liv yelled as she couldn't believe what Abby had gotten her into. "I can't hear you Liv, I'm having too much fun! Now stop being a baby and let's go!" Abby yelled as she was set to take off again.

Abby took off on the jet ski, laughing loudly as water droplets splashed her face.Her low ponytail was blowing against her back, and the feeling of speeding through the water was giving her such a rush. Their instructional course had ended just over ten minutes ago, and Abby had been itching to get out on the water ever since.

Olivia took a deep breath and looked around at the other people that were in the class of five.She was the only onewho wasn't out in the water, speeding around. She had always wanted to learn to jet ski, and now she was finally ready to test the waters.

Since getting pregnant nearly five years ago, Olivia hadn't done anything daring, or out of the ordinary. She wanted to start living life and embrace heryouth while she still had the chance. She knew she wasn't anywhere near beingher youthful college self anymore, but she wasn't even thirty.She had never done anything spontaneous or outside of her comfort level before, and she seriously wanted to change that.

She started off slow, following the same path their instructor had taken them on during the practice run. It felt calming, the wind blowing in her hair as shelooked out at the seemingly endless ocean.The only problem was that going at this speed, there wasapeacefulness to it which would be fine, but peaceful wasn't the objective of this activity. She found the peace that she was looking for yesterday with her massage and girl talk with , she was determined to have some fun instead, as she was satisfied with her heart being safe and content.

Taking a deep breath, Olivia increased the speed until her jet ski was racing, almost skipping through the water.The forceful winds were causing her hair to fly out behind her as she sped through the water. She heard Abby's voice from somewhere in the distance, cheering her on which made her go even faster. This was fun, exciting, exhilarating, and she began laughing and cheering hysterically as she felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

She wanted to go faster, but knew that this was fast enough, as she was still learning how to control the machine underneath her. In that moment she felt nothing but joy, and excitement, as with every turn she took and every wave she hit, a piece of her troubles began to slip away. She knew that everything she had gone through had to have been for a reason, and she wanted to live in those happy moments from now on. She made a vow to herself toscratch out the bad, and only take the good along with her. She wanted to embrace her future and what would lay ahead for herself, and for her family.

That night Abby and Olivia ordered room service, deciding to spend their final night inside since they would be flying back the following a long afternoon of jet ski and other water sports, they just wanted a quiet moment to much as Liv enjoyed her time of self-cleansing, she missed her baby girl terribly. Olivia looked at her watch and saw it was getting late.

She quickly sat her ipad atop of some pillows, and waited for the skype session to start.Shecouldn't wait to see her beautiful girl on the screen so she could hear about her day and say her goodnights. Her end connected, and seconds later, she saw Madison sitting on Mrs. Grant's lap, both of them squinting into the camera. She could tell the moment her face appeared on their end as theybothsmiledbrightly into the camera.

"Hi mommy!" Madison waved her hand frantically at the screen and smiled brightly while glancing back at her grandmother. "Grammie look! It's my mommy!"

"I know sweetheart. I think someone's happy to see you, as am I."

"Hi baby, I miss you! Hi Catherine. How has she been behaving? Thank you so much for keeping her for us."

"Nonsense Olivia, we are more than happy to have her anytime we can. Along with any other additional "little ones that may come along." Catherine smiled widely into the screen causing Liv's face to blush. Liv saw Catherine's face drop almost immediately, as she realized what she had said. She soon let out a sigh of relief as she saw Liv genuinely smiling in return.

"One day. Not this soon, but soon." Liv responded as she winked to assure Catherine that she was in fact okay. The women talked for a few moments before Abby threw a pillow at Liv, signaling she wanted to say hi to Madison as well.

"Maddie, look who else is here" Olivia spoke moving the ipad a little to the right so that Abby was now visible.

"Hi Auntie Abs!" Madison said, her voice somewhere between a squeal and a yawn.

"Hey Mads! How's my favorite girl?"

"Daddy took me shopping and he got me toys and a pretty new princess dress and new shoes and a princess crown and crayons and a coloring book, and games, and a puzzle and ummmm... Oh a baby doll and play food for my kitchen and a tea party set and daddy said he's gonna play dress up and drink tea mommy!" Madison squealed.

"Wow sweetie! Sounds like you had fun with daddy."

"Yea Mads, your daddy sounds pretty awesome. Can he buy me stuff too"" Abby asked as she saw how Madison was beaming on the other end. She was so excited to see Liv, she had forgotten all about the purchase at the pet store and Fitz's surprise for Liv.

"No Auntie! He's my daddy!" Madison said as she folded her arms and stuck out her bottom lip. Liv and Abby couldn't help but laugh at Madison who was far from pleased with the idea of sharing her daddy with anyone but Liv. Sometimes even that was a stretch.

They all sat and talked for a little while longer, until Liv and Madison let out a yawn at the exact same time.

"Ok Maddie, I want you to keep being good for Grammie, and mommy and Auntie will see you very soon, okay? I love you"

"Okay mommy. I love you too." Madison said softly as she began rubbing her eyes and rested her head against Catherine's chest. Liv thanked Catherine again before saying good night and ending their call.

Liv sat the Ipad on the bedside table and turned to look at Abby who was flipping through the channels, a certain look on her face.

"What is it?" Liv asked.

"What do you mean, I'm fine."

"Be real with me Abs"

Abby dropped the remote beside her before turning to face Olivia on the bed. Although there were two doubles in the room, they realized they usually ended up on one bed together until it was time to go to sleep.

"It's gonna seem really fucking stupid, and childish, but I just really miss my little side kick ya know? Trust me, I'm completely happy for you three and I've always wanted a dad like Fitz for her just like you have, but I can't lie and say I don't miss having her around all the time. Just gotta get used to it"

"Oh, best friend" Olivia smiled and launched herself towards Abby, wrapping her hands around her neck from the side and smooshing kisses to her cheek while the red head protested.

"Alright, quit it you weirdo. I said I was fine, you don't need to kiss on me" She said successfully unclamping Olivia's arms from her neck.

"I know Madison misses her Auntie like crazy."

"Yea, but she's soaking up having a daddy now and I get that"

"Well regardless, she still needs her Auntie around just like I do, and you know if you want her, she's yours. Seriously, when you want to see her, see her. Pick her up from school, have a sleepover, you know that Abs. You're mom number two, and it's allowed."

"Yea, but there's also a boundary and new respect now because it's just not up to you anymore when it comes to Madison"

"You're right" Olivia nodded in agreement. "I'll admit it took a while, but I'm kinda used to running things by Fitz now where Madison is concerned. It was strange before, but it's just normal now. So yes, I might say "let me talk to Fitz about it first" but you know the deal. Since day one she's been…"

"My baby from another lady" they both said in unison before laughing. They'd come up with the saying years back and it never failed to lighten the mood, even with its deep meaning.

"Alright, pick a movie so we can fall asleep. We are getting up early to go into town to shop before a late lunch then we gotta head to the airport. The last cab leaves at four, so we have to be packed and ready by then."

Olivia nodded before picking up the remote and flipping through the movies until they settled on one and after a while drifted off.

The vibration under Olivia brought her to a more conscious state, but it wasn't until she noticed the LED light of her iphone that she realized she was getting a phone call. Digging the phone out from its half-lodged spot under her, she pressed the green icon on the screen and pushed the phone between her cheek and the pillow as she settled back into the comfortable bed.

"Livvie? I know it's early baby, but you insisted that I call"

"Mmhhmm" was her only reply.

"I'm just leaving the hospital and about to drive to my parents' house. Why don't you call me when you wake up baby"

"No I'm up, I swear." Olivia rolled off the bed, bringing the phone with her. She slid the balcony door open just a tad before slipping through it and closing it back. She sat in the padded chair and looked out on the breathtaking view.

"The view is beautiful here Fitz"

"I'm sure it pales in comparison to you… Did you guys have a long day?"

"We definitely did. We went jet skiing and had so much fun. I was timid at first but being out there, just out in the open and free, I felt like I belonged in the water and took full advantage of the open waters. I honestly just felt so alive and in control of everything."

Fitz listened as she continued to explain her day and heard the life back in her voice. He gripped the steering wheel doing his best to fight the tears he felt welling up in his eyes. He would give anything to be there holding her, relishing in the significant step she had undoubtedly taken forward. He was over the moon for her.

"You should've seen me babe, my instructor even said I killed it."

"I'm so proud of you Livvie. I can tell this trip is exactly what you needed."

"You can really tell that?"

"You sound different, Livvie"

"Different? In what way exactly?"

"You sound happy and content. And you have always been perfect to me Livvie, but I can tell there's a weight that's been lifted, and I'm so glad to hear the change in your voice."

"I do feel very happy and content. And I miss you like crazy and can't wait to be home with you"

"I'm so ready to have you home with us too. It's not the same without mommy being home."

"How's the little lady been treating you? Good I hope?"

"She's been amazing" he chuckled. "She's such a fireball and reminds me so much of you and Abby put together."

"I can definitely believe that. How's her hair? Is she letting you fix it?"

"Well I tried to, I mean I really tried, and even used that detangler stuff, but she told me, and I quote, "daddy, mommy's gonna yell""

Olivia laughed loudly on the other end, just picturing her little girl speak those words in hope of scaring her father.

"She's a mess, don't let her talk you into too much, she's conniving and has her Auntie to thank for that. So what did her hair end up looking like?"

"A curly afro until I took her to moms and had her fix it" he confessed knowing that it would come out sooner or later.

"You're too much baby. Now tell me about the rest of your day, I wanna hear it all."

Fitz talked for a while about the many patients that he had seen throughout the night and well into the wee hours of the morning. There was always a story to tell, and he knew Olivia enjoyed hearing the craziness of the job. He told her about his new supervisor being out for the week and Cyrus covering the ER which made it easier on him to get out early if things were going smoothly. Fitz was ready to crash and was glad that she had picked up the phone. The near thirty minute drive to his parents' house always seemed extra=long from work and she was the best company to keep him alert.

"What do you guys have planned for today Livvie?" he asked when he noticed she had gotten particularly quiet and hadn't responded in a few minutes.

"Livvie? Did you hear me? Are you sleep baby? Should I let you go?"

"Uh-uhnnn" she responded.

"Livvie, I don't want to keep you up, when it's obvious you're tired. Aren't you tired baby?"

"Mmhmmm" she agreed.

"So let me call you later on okay?" he reasoned, unlocking the car and sliding in.

"Uh-uhnn. I don't care how sleepy I am, talk to me Fitzgerald."

He chuckled hearing her voice become thick with sleep and imagined the annoyed look on her face from being forced to speak in a complete sentence.

"Alright, you win love. So last night I was able to get a twenty minute nap in at around midnight. Twenty minutes doesn't seem like much, but trust me, it was everything"

"Mmmm" She breathed deeply and responded.

Fitz pulled off the interstate and turned down the road that would lead him to his parents' house in just a couple of miles.

"Hey Livvie, I love you"

"Mmhmm"

"I can't wait to see your beautiful face.

"Mmhmm"

"I can't wait to kiss those sweet lips the second I see you."

"Mmhmm"

"And I mostly can't wait to bury myself so deep in that sweet pussy of yours.

Fitz heard the second her breathing sped up and knew she had finally opened her eyes.

"I want to be buried so deep inside of you Livvie, I can feel it. Can you imagine it baby?"

His deep voice and words made Olivia squeeze her thighs together, hoping to calm the aching that started to stir.

"Fitz.."

"Are you getting wet for me baby? Sowet just how I like it. You're preparing that sweet pussy for me to taste aren't you?"

"Yes….it's been so long" Her voice was hushed, partially because she hadn't been expecting those words from him, and because she could feel her body responding to him in a way neither of them had allowed it to in weeks since their loss.

"It has been so long and I miss you like you wouldn't believe baby."

"I've missed you too" She sat up straighter in the chair and re-crossed her legs, becoming more alert with the turn in the conversation.

"When you're ready baby…."

"I am ready"

They were both quiet on their ends, breathing in sync with each other and imaging the sweet reunion that would take place tomorrow evening when she finally made it home.

"I love you. You go back to sleep and I will talk to you before you guys leave, okay? I don't go in until Monday, so I'll be waiting for you to get home baby."

She nodded her head, forgetting that he couldn't actually see her, and cleared her throat before responding. "I can't wait to see you. I love you."

Fitz placed his hand on the bedroom door knob and began to turn as quietly as he could. Because this particular door creaked, he took his time and slowly inched it open, hoping to not wake a sleeping Madison.

Just a little further...

One more push...

Fitz breathed a sigh of relief as he had managed to open the bedroom door, without making a sound. His strategy for getting to sleep as soon as possible had all been figured out. He would just creep to the bed and slip in since he had changed before coming upstairs. If Madison had had a restless night, which normally caused her body to be sprawled out across the bed, he'd just sleep on the floor if he had to. Either way, Fitz just needed rest, even if it was only for a few hours. Feeling confident in his strategy, Fitz took a step into the room and froze.

"Daddy you're home!"

Fitz's head snapped towards the bed where he saw a tiny Madison who was wide awake, playing with her dolls.

"Hey baby girl, how was your night? Were you a good girl while daddy was working?" Fitz asked as he walked over to the bed and scooped an excited Madison up into his arms. He peppered kisses all over her face, causing her to squeal. When she quieted down, she threw her arms around Fitz's neck, and kissed his cheek and nuzzled into his neck for a just a second as he held her tightly in his arms. It only took a second before her head popped back up, and she began to tell him everything that was on her mind.

"I was a good girl Daddy! Grammie took me to the park and then we got ice cream and we sawed a puppy Daddy! She was a CUTE puppy and her name was Skittles and Poppy played airplane with me and I was the airplane and I got to talk to mommy and I watched All Dogs Go To Heaven and is it true Daddy, do all of the dogs go to heaven? And then..Ummm.. Oh yea... I made brownies with Grammie and Poppy let me help make pizza and it was yummy and we played with puzzles and Poppy read me a book and we played little mermaid when Grammie washed my hair and I got to be Ariel and then Grammie told me a story and I went to sleep and I woked up and I sawed you daddy!"

"Wow, it sounds like you had a really fun time with Grammie and Poppy." Fitz said as his head was now spinning from taking in Madison's overly animated recounting of yesterday's events. He didn't know there was that much time in one day to do all of those things.

"I did! Can you play dolls with me daddy?" Madison asked hopefully as she pointed to the collection of dolls spread out across the bed. Fitz took in the assortment of dolls and sighed. He had no clue where the dolls even came from.

"I'll tell you what. Daddy had a really long night at work, and before I can play dolls, I need a little bit of sleep. So, what if I get you a quick snack and put on Frozen while daddy takes a little nap, and then we can play dolls all day long if you want."

"Frozen? Yay!" Madison squealed as she began bouncing on his lap. Fitz knew she had seen the movie at least 50 times, but Madison was still just as excited as she was the first time around.

Needing to get this done as quickly as possible, Fitz kissed Madison's forehead and set her down on her feet. He took her little hand in his, and the two of them made their way downstairs and into the kitchen. Fitz knew that his parents had a special cupboard with foods that were specifically for Madison. The moment he told his parents about her peanut allergy, his mother immediately began clearing a cabinet where only "Madison safe" foods would be placed.

When Fitz opened Madison's special cabinet, he was shocked to see a box of Pop Tarts inside. He knew there were certain ones that contained peanuts, but as he read the ingredients on the side of the "sugar cookie" flavored treats, he was relieved to see there were no traces of peanuts. Feeling like he had gotten off easy, Fitz grabbed a pack out of the box and moved to place them in the toaster.

"I don't want it hot daddy! I like them cold!" Madison began to whine causing Fitz to pause just before dropping them inside.

"Even better" Fitz thought to himself as he turned and grabbed a plate to put the treats on. He went and pulled out Madison's sippy cup, and made her some strawberry milk. Once he placed the spill-proof top on the cup, Fitz smiled knowing sleep was just within his reach.

The two of them made their way into the living room, and Fitz made sure Madison was set up in her miniature recliner. When she was all set, he laid down as he was ready to press play, but frowned when a pouting Madison walked over and stood before him.

"What's wrong Mads?" Fitz asked not understanding what could be bothering her at the moment.

"Daddy, it's movie time. I always sit on your lap for movie time." Madison pouted as she folded her tiny arms. Knowing she was right and it was the only way she'd remain quiet long enough for him to nap, Fitz stood up and moved to the big recliner, and pulled Madison into his lap, and wrapped them both in an afghan that was draped over the chair.

Once they were comfortable, and Madison had her snack and cup on her lap, Fitz reclined the chair and pressed play.

The movie had barely begun and Madison was trying to figure out what they were using to pull the ice out of the water. She had never seen anything like it before, but she figured her daddy of all people would know.

"Daddy what's that thing holding the ice?"

"Daddy?"

Much to her dismay, Madison turned and saw Fitz's eyes were closed. To her, this was not acceptable. Daddies are supposed to watch movies when a movie is on! Unhappy that her daddy wasn't paying attention, Madison turned her tiny body in his arms, and wiggled her way up his chest. She placed her tiny fingers on his eyelid, and lifted it as far as she could.

"Daddy!" She squealed causing Fitz's eyes to shoot open.

"What is it Maddie?"

"You have to watch the movie!"

"I'm sorry baby, Daddy is trying. I'm watching, see?"

Madison studied Fitz's eyes for a moment, and when she was happy that he was in fact watching the movie, she wiggled her body back down into his arms and continued watching the film. By now the movie had moved on, and Madison had completely forgotten about her original question.

So far everything had been going well. Madison was finally at her favorite part of the movie where Elsa had fled the kingdom. She watched the queen trudge through the snow and became excited Elsa began to sing her favorite song.

**The snow glows white on the mountain tonight**

**Not a footprint to be seen**

**A kingdom of isolation,**

**And it looks like I'm the queen.**

**The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside**

**Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried!**

**Don't let them in, don't let them see**

**Be the good girl you always have to be**

**Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know**

**Well, now they know!**

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

Madison jumped as Fitz suddenly began snoring so loudly, she could no longer hear the lyrics to the song. With an exasperated sigh, she climbed back up Fitz's frame and pinched his nose between her fingers. It took a few moments, but soon Fitz was once again startled awake.

"What? What happened? I'm watching Mads, see?" Fitz said in a panicked voice as he slowly came to.

"No daddy! You are sleeping loud and I can't hear Elsa!"

"I'm sorry baby girl. Daddy will be quiet. Ok? I promise."

"Hmph."

Madison wiggled her way back down Fitz's body, and was able to finish the rest of her movie without any more interruptions. Since she wasn't able to hear the full song before, Madison was excited when the movie transitioned into two editions of Let It Go, which was part of dvd extras. When both versions were over, Madison pouted as the dvd had gone back to the menu. Since the remote was too far away for her to press play again, Madison decided it was time to wake up her daddy for good.

Once again, Madison turned in Fitz's arms and climbed her way up his body. She was about to wake him up again, but noticed the curl that was dangling over his forehead. Her tiny fingers reached up and pulled slightly on the curl, and Madison giggled quietly as she released it, and it bounced slightly before resting over his forehead once again. Finding this amusing, Madison continued tugging and releasing the curl for quite a while, until she began to feel sleepy. Not wanting to let go of the curl just yet, Madison wrapped it around her finger, before resting her head on Fitz's shoulder, and drifting off to sleep.

Olivia turned and waved goodbye to Abby once she had the front door opened and watched her car drive off before she went inside and locked the door behind her. Their flight had a delay that was over an hour and a half long, and Olivia was ready to enjoy the comfort of her own home. She'd called Fitz from the airport to let him know they were on the way, and while on the phone she said her goodnights to Madison, promising to come give her kisses once she arrived home.

Olivia walked through their home, noticing things- mostly toys- that hadn't been there when she'd left just days ago and smiled thinking of all the things Fitz and Madison were able to experience together. She was about to pass through the living room in search of Fitz in the back of the house when a trail of red roses caught her attention and redirected her steps towards the back door. Letting go of the handle of her rolling suitcase, Olivia followed the path until she was at the door, and opened it to reveal not only more rose petals but candles lining the walkway that led to the outside furniture which was now set up. She stood in place speechless for a couple of seconds, unable to really comprehend how Fitz got their backyard furniture set up so quickly, without her knowledge of it even being shipped to their home.

Snapping out of her haze, Olivia made her way to where the path ended and it was then that she noticed the candles and rose petals on the table with two medium sized dessert containers. She stepped closer to read the labels and couldn't believe that Fitz managed to get her favorite dessert from _Café Tiramisu_ in Raleigh. She went to peek inside one of the boxed when his deep, baritone voice sent shivers down her spine.

"Livvie"

She turned to see him walking towards her, and moved quickly towards him before launching herself into his open arms. He lifted her up, his hands going under the curve of her ass while her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. Olivia's arms were wound tightly around his neck and her face was immediately nuzzled in his neck. When Fitz felt her warm breath and fresh tears on his skin, he brought one hand up and rubbed soothing circles on her back before he used his hand to pull her away from him.

"Baby why are you crying?" he asked bringing his hand to her cheeks and brushing the tears away.

"I'm just so happy to see you"

Olivia wasted no time pressing her lips into his for quick, soft kisses. Fitz kept up with her, understanding the melody she had started for them. Before she tasted him, she simply wanted to remember the feeling of him first. Her very slightly parted lips against his at every angle, nipping at the corner of his mouth, and him feeling her much fuller lips pressed against his thinner ones. Fitz was always the one to start their next step, but this time it was Olivia's tongue that ran across his lips, begging for entrance. She didn't have to beg for long as Fitz was just as eager to taste her.

His mouth tasted like heaven to her. She let her tongue move about his mouth with slow and precise exploration, nipping at his lips, not caring when their teeth clashed or noses bumped. In fact, she preferred it.

Fitz blindly took steps back and to the right until the back of his legs hit the swing and he reached a hand out behind him to steady it before dropping onto the wooden furniture. It was during their fourth "air break" that Olivia and Fitz knocked foreheads together and stayed that way for several minutes. Olivia's tears had resurfaced and her hands made their way to his face as she smiled through her tears.

"You've changed my world so much Fitz. I had believed for so long that I would be going through this vicious cycle of dealing with Jake and protecting Maddie, but you changed all of that for me. For us. You were patient, and accepting, and loving and gentle and I can't imagine sharing my heart with anyone else but you. Thank you so much for waiting for us Fitz. You're everything to us"

Fitz didn't waste time kissing her. He was overcome with emotion and knew just how much they were connected when she practically took the words out of his mouth. Bringing his lips to hers a final time, he leaned back and looked into her eyes, holding her gaze.

Olivia could feel the tingles in her stomach, wondering what was on the tip of his tongue. He always had a way with words, saying exactly what she needed to hear and words that made her bless their creator for sculpting this perfect man and allowing him to somehow be hers.

"Hey Livvie" his voice was hushed, almost secretive.

"Yea?" she responded back with a smile, matching his tone.

"Marry Me"

"Okay"

The whisper in her voice accompanied tears falling freely down her face, hitting her trembling lips that were seeking out his. Kissing her, Fitz could feel her lips part as soft, happy sobs shook through her and she held on to his sides tighter, still straddling his waste.

"Yes….. Yes…. Yes, I'll marry you." She spoke between the kisses her pressed to her lips.

"Right here at our home like I promised you"

He pulled the small velvet box from his pocket and she smiled at the beautiful ring inside before it was slipped on her finger. She kissed him hard, using his shoulders as leverage to lift herself against his chest while his hands touched every part of her ass through her pants. When she finally pulled away from his grasp, she read in his eyes exactly what she was feeling and licked her lips before lifting herself from his lap.

"Can you bring this to our room and meet me there in five minutes?"

"What are you about to do, I thought we could have dessert and celebrate."

"Oh we are going to celebrate baby, and I want to only be wearing this." She smiled coyly holding up her left hand. "Let me kiss my baby goodnight, and I expect you naked and waiting for me when I'm done."

"Yes ma'am" he stood up and walked towards her, needing one last kiss before letting her leave his sight.

She had just put one foot in the door when she suddenly stopped and turned around, crossing her arms and leaned against the door frame.

"I was gone three days and you buy her a turtle?"

The look on his face wasn't even one of guilt. She watched his blank stare change to a look of pure cockiness, knowing there was a part of her that was completely turned on by his willingness to move mountains for his girls.

"What can I say, whatever my girls want, my girls get" he winked at her and she laughed before shaking her head.

"I hope you mean that, because there is a lot I want from you Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, and I plan to collect."

**What do you think? Please leave a review and tell me your thoughts!**


	12. Chapter 11

_I just wanna  
Touch you, tease you, lick you, please you  
Love you, hold you, make love to you  
And I'm gonna  
Kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you  
Feel you deep inside me ohh  
I'm gonna  
Kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you,  
Feel you, make you come too_

**-Would You Mind, Janet Jackson**

**Nothing I can do but apologize for the long, overdue update, and hope that some of you are still interested in reading. Life got in the way, but I'm done with the semester and plan to get right on the next chapter. **

"I miss our chair…. I swear we need to ….ah..we need another… in this room"

Olivia could barely catch her breath, wanting to speak, but at the same time wanting to keep the pace she had set as she rode Fitz. Facing the opposite direction, her hands were flat against the carpet between his thighs, giving her balance as she worked her pussy over his rigid length that was so deep inside of her. He started off lying flat on his back, then propped himself on his elbows claiming to want to watch her "work". His final position was the one Olivia appreciated the most. The hold he had on her hips helped her to drive harder into him, creating such friction that she had cum twice already. He was positioned in a partial sit up and Olivia could feel the taunt muscles of his stomach on her ass every time he pulled her back into him.

"Fuck that chair baby…. This is perfect." Fitz was more than enjoying himself. Olivia had awakened him up clearly ready to be touched and he was more than ready to give her what she wanted. That was until Fitz went to roll over and felt the small weight against his legs. He moved the covers and saw Madison curled up at the bottom of their bed, and when he gestured for Olivia to look, she had rolled her eyes and laughed.

"My little cock block, but not tonight" She straddled his lap, and kissed him deeply, before she swung her right leg from around his waist and hopped off the bed, pulling him behind her and out of the room. They'd locked the door to the newly furnished workout room and when he finally had her naked, she'd told him to lie down and made it clear that she was in control of the situation tonight.

He could tell she was ready for him with the way she didn't allow much foreplay and Fitz could only assume she had been dreaming of them together. It never took long for him to get her dripping with excitement, but with the way her panties were already_drenched_, he knew she had to have been in her own dream world beforehand.

"Yes baby" Olivia moaned. She leaned up on her forearms and proceeded to bounce up and down as fast as she could manage without him coming out, although with the way her pussy was gripping him, that would be nearly impossible.

"You like when I bounce on that dick don't you baby… you're so big baby.." her breaths were coming out in gasps, and she felt one of his hands move around her and his fingers started to rub against her clit, bringing her so close to the edge.

"You liking having that control Livvie?" when she didn't respond, his hands gripped her tighter and he pulled himself up in a sitting position, causing him to slide out of her warmth. His dick stood at attention, bobbing up till it touched his stomach, and Olivia turned around and stared at the sight before her. She wasn't sure if it were possible that he'd grown inches since the night before, but in her mind, every time they made love, it seemed as though he'd grow in size.

Fitz watched her watching him. He could tell she was frustrated and pissed as fuck that he'd stopped her from reaching her peak, and could tell she wanted to take it out on him.

Olivia stared at his dick, seeing not only his pre cum that was starting to run down his shaft, but her essence coated him with perfection, not missing a spot, and she couldn't stop herself from moving towards the engorged, hypnotizing flesh. She moved towards him on her hands and knees and when she reached him, she bent down and placed her tongue on the base of his dick and moved up until she reached the tip. She repeated the action two more times and on the third time, she didn't stop at the tip, but proceeded onto his stomach and licked her way up. Tasting him between his pectoral muscles, up his adams apple and chin, she finally was able to insert her tongue directly into his mouth, sharing with him the taste that coated her mouth. When she felt him start to suck at her tongue, she pulled away and instantly took him in her mouth, swallowing him until she felt her eyes watering. She stilled for a minute, staring at him with wide eyes, conveying her love for him with the single look.

"I love you Livvie. More than anything"

The suction caught him off guard, and Fitz tightened his abs in response, the pressure and warmth of her mouth working to convince him to lose it far too early than he wanted to.

"Baby don't..ah. Fuck…. Livvie just wait"

Her hand came to splay on his abs and at the feeling of his hot, hard flesh, and the salty and sweet taste of him in her mouth, Olivia changed gears, needing to feel his mouth on her.

Olivia pushed him back before throwing a leg over his body and getting on all fours.

Taking the hint, Fitz gripped her hips tightly, and pulled her back, slamming her pussy on his lips and began to feast on her insides.

Olivia's knees instantly became unstable feeling his lips nipping at her sensitive flesh. She grabbed a hold of him and guided him back into her mouth and began her torture, needing to feel the veiny, thick meat in her mouth.

"Livvie **stop!**"

His command halted the grip she had on his balls and Olivia instantly allowed his dick to fall from her mouth, knowing_that_ specific tone and command meant he was ready to cum. And she knew the only place he wanted to do that was inside her. So she stayed balance on all fours, feeling two thick fingers enter, while his lips kissed her swollen lips repeatedly, and his thumb played with her clit. She wasn't sure that she could take anymore, and she knew her heart rate had reached new levels of palpitations. It wasn't until Fitz's free hand made hard contact with her ass, and squeezed it, that she released and came all over his nose and mouth.

Fitz held her still, cleaning her up with his lips, loving the way she smelled and tasted. He would never get tired of eating his favorite dish for as long as he lived. When he was done, he eased her forward until she was in the perfect spot, and he moved to his knees behind her and entered her slowly. She was swollen from his ministrations, and opened up enough to provide the perfect amount of resistance against him. He pulled out slowly before surging into her balls deep. He wrapped an arm around her chest and over her breast to grip her shoulder when he felt her knees buckleat the impact.

"Go faster baby" her voice came out in a whisper and he knew she was ready for her final round. Fitz raised himself on his knees and reached a hand up to wrap around the back of her neck while his other gripped her left breast. Without warning, his hips rammed into her as fast as he could, the slapping of their skin encouraging him to go faster. After several seconds of his fingers teasing her nipples, he brought his hand to her clit and stroked it before her loud cries filled the room.

Oliva's hand went to cover his that was cupping her pussy and she pushed his hand further into her, riding out the waves of pleasure before grinding her ass into him several times making him release his seed with a mirroring groan. He squeezed her against him, still pumping slowly into her as he emptied his load, his breathing gradually slowing down.

Pulling Olivia up so that her back was pressed against his chest, Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist, his softening dick easing out of her, completely coated with a mixture of the bliss they'd created. He sat back on his legs, and pulled her into his lap, wanting to stay connected to her. He kissed her shoulder, smelling the sweetness of her sweaty skinthat if given the right amount of time, could completely turn him hard again.

"You know you shouldn't make rules if all you're gonna do is break them baby. What is that now? Four slip ups? You might as well call it off now, don't you think?"

Olivia felt him smile against her heated skin, before he was pushing kisses to the same spot. She blushed, knowing good and well that he was completely right. "Are you complaining?" she asked intertwining her hand on top of his before bringing it to cup her breast.

"You know I'm not, I'm just saying this whole "no sex until the wedding night" is extremely unnecessary, on _every_ account."

"It's not like we have months or even weeks to wait babe.."

"Oh, I know that" he interrupted. "But the fact that I've been sitting up horny half the night for the better part of two weeks since you made this ridiculous rule and not being able to touch you, when you're barely a foot away, is torture."

"But you haven't gone without for those two weeks now have you?" she tilted her head back to look at him, his face appearing upside down.

"Luckily no, but lying in bed trying to anticipate if you're gonna cave in is no fun either. Every time you'd move in your sleep, I'd get fucking hard thinking you were caving in."

"Six days babe. Six days and i'll let you take me six ways to Sunday all over our hotel suite."

"ahhhh" he groaned, gently biting down on her naked shoulder. "I can't wait to marry you, Livvie. I feel like I've been waiting for this moment my entire life."

"I know exactly what you mean baby." Olivia wrapped both of his arms around her, feeling completely content in that moment, storing it away in the confines of her heart that only two people occupied.

_2 Days Later_

"Madison, you need to clean up baby so we can get going okay? Mommy's waiting to do your hair."

Fitz sat down in the chair next to her and worked on tying his shoes.

"He's moving faster daddy" she glanced up at him, waiting for him to agree with her. "What is my Turtle's real name again?"

"It's Wally. Wally, the turtle. Let's put him back in his tank okay, then we gotta wash your hands."

It was the same every morning. Madison would wake up, and within the first forty-five minutes of being awake, she'd be in her parent's bed, usually playing with her daddy that couldn't sleep through her prodding, then she'd eat breakfast and get dressed for the day. Since bringing the turtle home just over two months ago, Madison didn't pay much attention to her toys, the trampoline, the ipad, or anything else. She'd go directly to the laundry room where they had the tank set up to receive plenty of sunlight, and she would lift the reptile out and tote him around with her. Fitz and Olivia would usually find the little girl on the floor in front of her dollhouse with the turtle sitting in a random room of the house.

They always heard when she went in to grab Wally and would give her just under seven minutes of playing before going in to rescue the poor animal. Although it was an impulse, guilt trip buy, Fitz knew how much work went into taking care of a turtle, and that it would be a job for him since he daughter was too young to understand the hygienic components of taking care of it. He'd also purchased a book from the pet store on the care of the turtle and knew that they shouldn't be out of their environment for long because of the harmful effects it would have to their immune system. He and Olivia both sat down to have a talk with Madison about her new best friend and how it was a pet that stayed in his tank and they could watch him, but only play with him for a few minutes at a time. She wasn't happy about realizing she couldn't play with her pet, and although she loved the animal still, she was on the hunt for a new pet to convince her daddy to buy her.

Olivia walked into the bathroom where both Fitz and Madison stood washing their hands together, and finished putting the White-Gold hoop Earrings in her ear before she glanced in the mirror and fluffed out her beach wave curls. They all welcomed the warm weather that May brought and were excited to be done with school for the summer as of last week. So much was happening this summer including Madison's fourth birthday that was just a month away.

"Alright baby, hold still."

Olivia grabbed the ribbon-elastic hair tie that she used for Madison's hair and ran her fingers through the curls, pulling the honey strands high on the top of her head until she was able to secure the thick curls in a neat top knot. She opened the drawer to the right of her and smoothed a soft brush over her baby hair and finally secured the headband she knew her daughter would be asking for, around her head.

"Look at my hair daddy" she held her arms up to him, and he lifted her immediately and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"You look amazing Mads."

"Sorry babe, but we really need to get going." Olivia stood next to them fidgeting. She was wearing Bermuda shorts with a light pink Oxford short sleeved shirt and Toms, her makeup very minimum with mascara and a shaded pink on her lips. She looked beautiful.

"Alright babe, you go with mommy and have fun trying on your dress okay? Daddy will see you in the morning."

"Not in the morning daddy, tonight"

She pouted and Fitz and Olivia looked at each other and sighed. The past week and a half had been rough on them all. It was just a month ago that Fitz came home extremely excited to inform Olivia that he had been granted the full eight days off from work, but it came with a price. Nearly every day last week, Fitz would leave the house at eight in the morning and wouldn't clock out at the hospital until midnight. The fifteen hour shifts left him completely drained and although he considered it worth it, he was ready for the hellish shifts to be over. The negative effects it had on Madison were the worst part, and every evening he would take his break in time to read her a story over skype and watch her get tucked into bed, but it wasn't enough and he knew it.

"Hey" he squeezed her tighter in his arms and cradled her body into his chest. "Daddy is sorry he has to work for a long time, but I'm gonna come home and kiss you goodnight and when you wake up, we will have breakfast together okay? And then in two days I'm gonna stay home okay? No work"

She sat up in his arms and nodded her head, still not satisfied with his answer.

"Fix your face baby… where's a smile..don't, oh don't smile Mads! Don't do it… UGH! Madison Olivia, stop that smiling right now"

She cackled loudly, not being able to fight the urge to do the opposite of what he said.

"Alright best girl, give me kisses" He paused when she pushed a pouty kiss to his lips and pulled back just as quickly. "I'll call you later. Have fun with mommy seeing your dress"

"Go get your sandals on baby, the yellow ones."

She slid down Fitz's body and skipped off to her room to grab her shoes and put them on. Olivia moved into Fitz's embrace wearing an identical pout to the one her daughter had just worn.

"I wish Cyrus was still your boss instead of this Whitman lady. I hate everything about her" Olivia pushed her chin into his chest and looked up at Fitz who was gazing down at her.

"Well as much as I miss Cyrus as well, I'm pretty sure I'd be pulling the same shifts if he were my supervisor. But just keep your eyes on the prize. The day before the wedding, and seven whole, entire days after that, I'm work free."

"I can't wait."

"You girls have fun today getting your dresses, and call me when you get there and drive safe. No texting, no nothing. I mean it baby"

"Scouts honor"

He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled as his lips descended onto hers. Only minutes later, once they were all strapped in their respective vehicles, they were both pulling out of their driveway and going their separate ways.

Fitz stood outside of the suite that Cyrus used to occupy, waiting to know until he felt completely in control of his tongue. When it came to his new supervisor, he tried his best to have a tight lip and keep his comments to himself. To say that she was a bitch was an understatement. Fitz tried to stay as far under the radar at all times, and preferred it the most when she was away at conferences, speaking about her breakthrough on _yada, yada, ya_. He usually blocked out everything she said unless it was related to work, and he hated that he felt as though he wasn't a normal employee. There was nothing normal about the way she acted when it came to him.

"Dr. Grant? Did you need something?"

Fitz hadn't noticed her walking out of her office, and wondered how long she had been standing there watching him.

"Umm, sorry. Yes, I got your message to stop by once I clocked in. What is it that you needed Dr. Whitman?"

"Come have a seat."

When she gestured into her office, Fitz let out a silent sigh of defeat and walked into the office with her following behind him before sitting opposite of him behind her desk.

"I wanted to speak with you about your approved time off in the next few days."

"Is there something wrong? Did anything change Ms. Whitman?" Fitz held his breath as he waited for her answer.

"Please, call me Mellie, and no, you're still free to spend the full time away that you requested, I just wanted to go over your application and your future with us here. I see that you came from a private practice and don't plan to have a long standing here. You were brought on as our full time Attending and.."

"May I?" he interrupted her. "Actually, I signed on as a part time Attending, and that was made clear in my contract. I have plans of being here until the second week of November, _just_ as my contract says."

"Well for someone that's a part time Attending, I will say you're leaving quite the impression here. However, I am aware that you left the _required_ conference that was held earlier this year, and unfortunately for you, I'm required to see to it that you are up to speed on what was showcased."

"Okay, I'm assuming that there's a presentation that I can read through?"

"Actually, being the key note speaker, I can fill you in on the conference once you return from your vacation. I'll set up a date for us."

The word _date_ and the way she said it made Fitz inwardly flinch, and he cleared his throat before sitting up straighter.

"Were there others that missed the training as well? We can compare schedules and figure out the perfect date."

"Nope, just us. Listen Fitz, you're a great team player and the other Attending's work well with you, and I for one know that you're such a hard worker. I'd really like for you to reconsider your contract and leaving us come this winter."

"I appreciate that, and while I've enjoyed my colleagues here, I have no desire to change my contract terms."

"Can I ask why? I hope that you always feel that as your supervisor, I'm always here for all the support that you could ever need, and if there's something that could possibly change your mind, I'm open to hear it. This hospital needs the type of leadership that you could bring. So, name your price."

Looking at the clock that sat high on the wall to his left, Fitz wondered if she would be on his ass for the remaining of his shift, or if she would drop the subject. He expected that this type of meeting to happen any day now, and he had been dreading it. To say that Melody Whitman had been kissing his ass for the past month, would be an understatement, and he was tired of it. It was like she had split personalities, first completely being on his ass about every single thing, and now sucking up to him, and finding every reason to compliment and praise his work in front of everyone.

He'd told Olivia about her sudden obsession with him staying on at the hospital and they both agreed that he should just play by the rules until November came and if push came to shove, he could try to get out of his contract early. They weren't hurting for money by any means, and if not working for a few weeks would help their peace of mind, then it's what they'd do.

"I'm sorry, but there is no price. If you'll excuse me, I really need to get back to the interns and my shift. Thank you ma'am."

Fitz was out of the chair and leaving the office without giving her the chance to respond. Shaking his head, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Olivia before heading to the triage

Olivia sat in the booth at Chick-Fi-La watching Madison playfully chew on the remainder of her chicken nuggets, her feet tucked underneath her legs as she watched the children laughing in the play area with envy. She wanted to play so bad, and normally Olivia would've let her, but they had an appointment to get to for Olivia's final dress fitting, and to hopefully bring the dress home with her. Abby had planned to meet them there but was called to court and knew she wouldn't be able to make it in time. The drive was just over an hour long, and Olivia knew her daughter wouldn't last too long or be in a presentable mood and willing to cooperate during the fitting if she didn't stop for lunch. They had gotten to the area sooner than expected so she stopped, but knew they'd need to leave soon.

"Eat up Toots so we can go okay. We've gotta try on our dresses for the wedding okay"

"And I can wear my blue dress to the party?"

Her eyes lit thinking of the blue, fluffy, halter style dress that she had seen the first time they had made the drive to the boutique. Olivia was quick to show her distaste of the dress when she saw the way her daughter looked at it. The color didn't go with the color scheme they had chosen, and it wasn't what Olivia pictured her walking down the aisle in as the flower girl.

"Not this one baby, mommy knows the kind of dress that will be perfect! Let's keep looking."

"But daddy promised! He said I could get whatever dress I wanted to get. You said so too mommy!"

Olivia decided two things in that very moment:

1\. Both she and Fitz did promise the little girl that she could pick out her dress for the wedding.

2\. She could wear the fluffy teal dress at the reception, and Olivia could still choose the dress she walked down the aisle in.

"Ok Mads, you know how we are going to have the quiet part of the wedding where me and daddy talk to each other, and you're gonna sit with Auntie? Well after that we're gonna have a party to celebrate, so if we get this dress, then it can be your party dress, but mommy will also get you another dress to wear for the quiet part. A different dress that _mommy_ will choose okay?"

"And I will wear the dress you pick and throw the flowers out?"

"Yes baby, exactly."

She nodded her head and jumped up and down in excitement which Olivia knew meant, she agreed.

They drove the rest of the way and when they got there the large dressing room was ready for them to try on their dresses. Olivia knew that the blue dress would fit Madison, but she had to get her ceremony dress altered a bit. When Madison was done trying on her dress, Olivia changed into the bra she planned to be wearing with her dress, then slipped into the soft, long material before lifting the short train and walking out with Madison following her.

"Mommy you look so pretty" Madison was giddy at seeing her mother in all of the mirrors that surrounded the platform Olivia stood on.

Olivia looked at herself from the different angles, loving the way the dresses fit her and felt the tears filling her eyes. It had taken a few weeks, but it finally fit her perfectly.

On the drive home as soon as Madison passed out in the backseat, Olivia texted Fitz to give her a call when he had the chance, and they were halfway home when she'd answered the line using the carsbluetooth.

"Hi baby" she spoke softly, subtly informing him that Madison was not awake.

"Hi you" Fitz spoke, sitting down on one of the couches in the hospitals lounge area. "How are you guys? She passed out?"

"Yea, she fell asleep shortly after we got on the highway. She had fun wearing her dresses. I finally let her know that she'll be wearing jewelry as well, and she flipped out."

"Oh I know she just loved that."

"Yes she did. Our baby loves jewelry so much it scares me just thinking of her as a teenager."

"Scares _you_? It's not you she's gonna pull the pouty face out on when she sees some shiny in a store."

"That's because she knows you're a pushover, Fitz. You've gotta find a balance with her, and you gotta do it fast."

She felt the mood instantly change before she was able to speak her next words.

"It'll be different when we have a baby together Fitz, it's just going to be natural to be a disciplinary, so you're gonna have to do it with Mads now."

"I know. You're right." They were silent just for a second, both imagining having a baby, but not allowing past memories to enter their mind.

"How much longer till you guys get home?

"About a good forty minutes left, we've gotta get home because your parents, Huck and Quinn are coming over to finish bringing everything for the backyard set up. I told them they could just store everything either on the patio and the other stuff in the gym."

"The gym? Umm, not gonna happen Livvie"

"Babe, it's the only free space we really have."

"We have a guest room"

"Harrison comes in tomorrow afternoon, and he'll be using the room while he's here, so we can't use the guest room. I don't wanna throw things in there and clutter it up"

"Livvie if you put all that junk in the gym neither of us will be able to work out"

"That _junk_ as you so eloquently put it, is everything we need for our wedding. The wedding that you promised me at our home"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry baby, it's just… if I can't make love to you, then I _need_ to work out Livvie. It's way too hot to run and I know good and well once Harrison arrives tomorrow, that I'm shit out of luck in that department, so please can we not put everything in the gym?"

Olivia stayed quiet for a moment picturing his face pleading on the other line. That room was one of her favorite places in their home as well. A place they usually used together at least three times a week, and would have to force themselves to leave the room.

_Opening her eyes, Olivia rolled over slowly until she was facing Fitz. He was lying face down on his side of the bed and snoring softly. She laughed at his still form knowing that they had thoroughly worn each other out last night after he had proposed. Olivia lifted her left hand in front of her and eyed the new piece of jewelry on her fourth finger. It was stunning. She hadn't expected that being officially engaged would make her love him even more, but it somehow had. All she wanted to do was touch him and be as close as possible to him. She scooted closer to his sleeping form, and started running her fingers through his wild curls._

"_Rise and shine porcupine" she whispered into his ear._

_Her voice immediately awakened him, and he grinned hearing her soft voice, before opening his eyes and staring at her._

"_I know I've got hellish morning breath, but the only thing I want to do right now is kiss my beautiful fiancé." He quickly sat up and hovered over her before he leaned down and kissed the corner of her mouth softly._

_After one more peck, he climbed over her and off the bed to make his way into the bathroom. She followed him in just seconds later and chuckled at the site of his bare ass exposed as he stood using the bathroom. She could still make out the red scratches on the dimples over his ass that she'd made the night before. Olivia went to the sink to start brushing her teeth, and leaned back against the marble counter watching Fitz finish up and wash his hands before he too began brushing his teeth. They gave sly glances at one another through the mirror, giggling like high school kids in love for the first time. _

_Rinsing his mouth one final time, Fitz wiped his mouth and hands on a washcloth before draping it over the sink and turning to Olivia who had just finished putting some type of moisturizer on her face._

"_I wanna show you something."_

_He walked her over to the drawers that sat opposite their bed, and grabbed at the bottom of her loose fitting t-shirt before lifting it over her head leaving her top half completely naked. Opening the top left drawer, he pulled out one of her sports bras and leaned down to kiss the space between her breast before slipping the bra over her head and helping her arms through the loops._

_Fitz grabbed her hand and they both tip-toed down the hall to the room that sat two doors away from Madison's room. Fitz pulled her inside and she was shocked when he turned on the light and she saw the equipment before her. She remembered Fitz mentioning having a treadmill in storage, and wasn't too surprised at the display of weights that lined the opposite wall. What she was surprised at was the punching bag that hung from the ceiling when you walked into the room._

"_What is this?" she eyed the black bag, and saw two sets of boxing gloves on the floor underneath it._

"_This is something that I got for you. Something that I got for us."_

"_It's a punching bag. I've never used one of these before Fitz"_

"_I know, but I'm gonna teach you. I know that __**he**__ is gone, and it's not something we have to worry about anymore, but I never want you to feel that you can't physically protect yourself or Madison. Never. So I want to get you used to a few techniques and moves that will give you that confidence, and.."_

_She saw the blush that filled his cheeks and squinted her eyes. "And what?"_

"_And uh, I'll make any excuses to get you hot and sweaty in only a bra and those tiny shorts you like to work out in."_

"_You are amazing you know? You take care of me in a way I never knew I needed."_

"_I'm only just getting started baby" he pulled her closer until he felt her pressed against him….._

Clearing her throat, Olivia silently agreed with Fitz, and made compromises in her head before finally answering him.

"Livvie you know we could always use the room next to Madison's, I could put a rug down or something. I mean everyone can just take their shoes off before going in. It's not like the stuff will be dirty anyway, and it won't be in there for long."

Olivia let out a sigh before looking back in the rear-view mirror to see Madison still passed out. When they'd first moved into the house and rooms were chosen, they'd purposefully left the room next to Madison's, empty with the intent on one day making it into a nursery. That was a room Fitz slowly worked on, putting carpet in, preferring that to wooden floors for a baby. They hadn't touched that room or let anyone else since news of losing the baby, and hadn't planned on it.

Olivia glanced at the phone when she heard the other line beep and smiled at the name and accompanying picture that appeared.

"Okay babe, we can just use the room. I need to let you go, Harrison is calling. I'll talk to you later."

"Yea, okay tell him I'll see him tomorrow. Love you. Give my girl a kiss for me when she wakes up."

"I will. Love you too."

"What's up Harry?"

"Hey Liv" Harrison spoke animatedly. "What's good? You ready for your majesty to grace your presence tomorrow? You still getting me from the airport right? My flight lands…"

"Lands in Raleigh at ten-forty in the morning, American Airlines. You emailed me weeks ago with your itinerary attached Harrison. You don't have to call or text me every day."

"Hey now Bridezilla, I'm just tryna make sure you don't forget. You have a lot to worry about this week and something as simple as getting your brother from the airport could easily be forgotten. I get it so I can seriously catch a cab, it's no big deal or someone else can pick me up. I have friends there you know."

"No! You're my brother, I'm picking you up. I insist. I'm picking you up tomorrow and when we get back to the house you can be a big help and watch your favorite niece while I go to an appointment."

"What kind of appointment?"

"The kind that's none of your business."

"Yea? Tell me. Don't be all secretive and prude-ish just cause you about to get married."

"I'm not being prude-ish, it's just private"

"Olivia, you made me buy you tampons from the store when we were kids and lied to me saying they were hair rollers."

"Fine it's a waxing appointment"

"You getting your panties in a bunch for getting your eyebrows and legs waxed? Not your biggest secret Liv."

"It's not my eyebrows and legs getting waxed Harrison" her voice dead-panned.

"Eww man, that's gross! Why the hell would you tell me that Liv? Damn, don't nobody need to know that personal shit, man. Keep that shit to yourself. You shouldn't have said anything"

"Whatever Harrison" she said not bothering to fight with him on the fact that he was insisted on her telling him.

Olivia spoke to him or a few more minutes, going over a checklist to ensure he had everything he needed for the wedding. It was his job to give her away and she had to make sure he had everything he would need.

"Ms. Quinn!"

Madison sprinted towards Quinn as soon as the door opened and she walked inside of their home.

"Hi sweetie" She scooped her up into her arms and kissed her head of curls before walking towards where Olivia sat at the dining room table. School had been out for a couple weeks, and Quinn had taken a much needed vacation and hadn't seen Madison since the last day of class.

"Hey Quinn, thanks for coming" Olivia said pulling her into a side hug as to not squish Madison. Seeing that she would be helping with the wedding, although they hadn't seen each other, they had texted and talked on the phone frequently.

"No problem at all, I want to help as much as possible."

"We appreciate it. These are Fitz' parents, Catherine and Jerry. Mom, Dad, this is Quinn Perkins."

"She's my teacher" Madison spoke up as she wiggled her way out of Quinn's arms and resumed her original spot on her Poppy's lap.

"Very nice to meet you Quinn"

They both shook her hand before Olivia picked her list back up and handed Quinn a few sheets of paper.

"I've already printed off a sketch of what we pictured outside looking like. We are still figuring out what to do with the trampoline. I've delegated that to Fitz and Harrison though, so whatever they decide is fine. The sketch is on the second page I believe, and Abby will be here soon enough to explain all the rest. Although we won't really have anyone standing up with us except for Madison for part of it, she's my Maid of Honor, and is going to be running the show, sort to speak."

Before Olivia could continue, they turned at the sound of the front door opening and Abby rushed in, kicked off her heels, and closed the door before rushing over to where they sat in the living room.

"So, so sorry I'm late, Liv. Court ran over, but I'm here and ready to take over. You sit down, give me that."

"Hi Auntie" Madison enjoyed having people over at her house, especially when her Auntie Abby came over. She was at her side, looking up at her with happy, wide eyes.

"Hey short-stuff" she bent down and kissed her cheek before straightening back up. "Hey Grants. Quinn.

Looking behind her, Abby moved to sit into the recliner that was to the left to the couch Quinn, Catherine, and Jerry were sitting on.

"So you guys see the sketch for the backyard, Harrison is taking care of the yard tomorrow evening before it gets too late. Did we get the dresses today?" She directed the question at Olivia and when she nodded, Abby moved on.

"Hair appointments are going to be that morning just before the ceremony starts. Harrison and Fitz are going to stay at my house, and I'm gonna stay here the evening before the wedding."

"What's going on with the food?"Catherine asked preparing to jot down notes.

"We are having Travinia's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar cater, it's one of Liv's favorites and the munchkin loves it too. I can go over specific orders with you Catherine based off of the RSVP cards I have received which is practically from everyone, and the other stragglers, I just called and got their preference."

"It sounds like everything is pretty much covered, now let me know what company you decided on for the set up and tear down." Jerry finally spoke, grabbing the pen Catherine handed to him.

"Well the restaurant is providing the dishes and all utensils. We are using _Rentals For Us_ here in town, they have our complete order as of yesterday, including tables, chairs, I think we decided on a small dance floor, and a few other things, but it'll all be set up by their people, we just want to have someone here- Quinn that's where you come in- to make sure they set it up as similar to the sketch as possible."

"Okay, so I know I'm not supposed to deal with any of the logistics per most of you's suggestion, but I do want to make sure I at least know who's taking care of everything as far as making sure things get loaded back up and taken away at the proper times, the house is locked up and everything, and that the caterers and rentals are paid for. I can leave a blank check.."

"Oh nonsense darling, you are not paying a dime .This wedding our gift to you, so sweet Abby, don't you accept any sort of check from her or Fitzgerald. I've already spoken with him about this, but he's stubborn like his future bride. When you guys jet off, me and Cat will make sure everything goes well back here with the clean-up and whatnot…"

"I'll be here to help as well to make sure everything gets back to order" Quinn jumped in and Catherine reached over to squeeze her hand in thanks.

"So Liv you have nothing to worry about. Your only job that evening is to be with your husband and prepare to fly off to your honeymoon that evening."

Olivia blushed and nodded to Abby who took the hint and continued for a few more minutes before they were wrapping things up. Madison insisted that everyone come say "Hi" to Wally before they left, and when everyone was gone, Olivia and Madison had dinner together on the patio while listening to music on the Bose system outside. When Olivia noticed the time, she coaxed Madison off the trampoline, and started her a bath in the master bathroom.

"Do you remember who's comes in town tomorrow?" Olivia asked, giving her time to play before bathing her, choosing to pile her hair up and tackle the wild curls tomorrow.

"Uncle Boss!" she smiled, slapping her hands on the water with emphasis.

Olivia rolled eyes at the name, but smiled nonetheless and nodded. "Yep, he's gonna come early in the morning and you're gonna come to the airport with me to pick him up."

"Can daddy come too?"

Olivia cringed at the question, something she seemed to do lately whenever her daughter had to ask if her daddy would be accompanying them somewhere. As of late, that answer was always a "no", and it broke her heart every time she had to watch her daughter's shoulders slum and face fall at her response. She knew the reason he had to pick up so many shifts lately, but it didn't matter in the bigger picture, the bigger picture was that her daddy hadn't tucked her in, in nearly three weeks if it was a weeknight and it was affecting Madison more than they wanted to admit.

"Daddy will have to go to work baby, but he will be home in time to tuck you in" She said in the most cheerful voice she could muster up for her daughter.

Her face fell, and she turned away from Olivia crossing her arms over her naked chest, scooting closer to the faucet.

"Daddy never tucks me in anymore" Her face was grumpy, completely with pouty lips, a furrowed brow, and her "meany eyes" as she called them.

"Baby, I know you miss daddy tucking you in, and he misses you like crazy too. He really wishes he could be here to tuck you in and read to you like you want, but for now daddy still has to work."

"I don't like his work mommy. Can daddy not have work for the summer like you?"

She loved the summers most because she didn't have to share her mommy with any of the students at her school.

"I'm sorry baby, he can't." She was about to say more when she heard the Ipad ringing on her bed. She glanced at her cell that was next to her, and wondered who was calling. "Madison, sit tight babe."

She ran to grab the device and was back just seconds later. She noticed it was Fitz' Ipad and answered it before greeting him with a half-smile.

"You're early you know? Like a lot early. We just started bath time. Mads, say hi to daddy." Olivia turned the Ipad around and Fitz immediately noticed her somber face, breaking his heart more than it already was.

"Hi baby girl. You look so sad, and I think daddy knows why because I feel the same way" He didn't need Olivia's explanation of why their little girl was looking so upset. He knew what his absence was doing to her, and hated it.

"You do?" she turned around, lying her arms atop of the marble edge of the tub and leaning her chin to rest on top. Her eyes stared into his, waiting to see what he would say.

"I do. I'm sad too because I miss my time with my best girl. I miss being with you too, but soon daddy's gonna stop working so much so we can be together more okay?"

Olivia was surprised when her daughter began nodding her head and sat up straighter and leaned halfway out of the tub to be closer to the Ipad.

She truly believed Fitz hung the moon.

"I can't wait to be together all the time daddy."

It was statements like that, that made Fitz wish he were a millionaire that didn't have to work. He would stay home with her every day if he could.

Fitz took a deep breath once he put his truck in park and pressed the overhead button to close the garage door behind him. He felt like he was going to pass out at any moment and couldn't wait to get into bed and sleep.

"_One more day." _He spoke the words aloud, reminding himself that when he went in tomorrow at 7:00 am, he would be off by 2:30 and wouldn't have to go in for ten whole days. The eight days off for his wedding and honeymoon, plus he was no longer required to work weekends, so he would have the weekend free once they returned home next Friday.

Getting out of the car, Fitz walked into the house and punched in the alarm code before resetting it again. With the laundry room being connected to the garage, it had become a habit to check on Wally each time he came inside of the house. He refilled the water dish before dropping his bags right outside of the laundry room, not bothering to put them in their rightful place since he'd be grabbing them again in less than seven hours.

Fitz opened the door to the bedroom and noticed Olivia passed out on the bed, her arms and legs wrapped around his pillow. It wasn't the first time he'd come home late at night to find that she'd taken over his pillow. Some nights she took over his entire space in their bed as well. He walked closer and climbed halfway on the bed so that he could give her a kiss, then moved back. Fitz felt her hand on hi cheek, halting his movements.

"Hi" Olivia's voice was hoarse, letting Fitz know that they had definitely turned in early for the night. She clearly had been asleep for a while.

"Hi baby. Go back to sleep. I'll be right in, I promise."

It only took Fitz a few minutes to change into pajama pants and a t-shirt, leaving his discarded clothes in a pile near the dresser where he had changed. Walking over to the bed, he pulled the comforter back to see what Olivia was wearing and when he noticed her in a pair of his stolen boxers and a tight fitting tank top, he turned around and left out of the room.

Earlier when he had spoken to Madison during bath time, he promised her that he would come and kiss her goodnight once he was home from work, and Fitz never broke a promise to his little girl. He opened the door and sighed at hearing the music playing in the room. Olivia never left her Ipod playing in the room all night unless she had an extremely hard time getting Madison to sleep.

Fitz went to her bed and kneeled down beside her curled up body that was teetering on the edge of the bed. Smoothing the hair back from her face, he kissed her cheek softly before lifting her from the bed.

"Mommy?" Madison's voice was a soft whispered in the crook of Fitz' neck.

"It's daddy, baby girl."

He felt her body relax more against him before she spoke again.

"I miss you daddy"

He smiled and kissed her forehead, telling her that he missed her too.

When Fitz got back to the room, he went to his side of the bed and laid Madison in the middle before climbing in next to her. As soon as he was comfortable, under the blanket and snuggling with Madison, he heard a chuckle coming from Olivia. She never opened her eyes, but smiled brightly showing all of her teeth.

"You're such a pushover baby. She's gonna kick you all night long"

Olivia turned over and scooted closer to her edge of the bed to be away from her soon-to-be fidgeting daughter.

"You're just jealous because she's my best girl"

Fitz laughed, pulling his little girl closer and when her little hand made its way to his ear, he finally felt at peace and drifted off to sleep.

_Fire up that loud  
Another round of shots  
Fire up that loud  
Another round of shots  
Fire up that loud  
Another round of shots  
Fire up that loud  
Another round of shots  
Turn down for what?_

Olivia cringed at the loud music blaring from the speakers outside. She'd just jumped out of the shower and thrown on a nice sundress and a pair of strappy sandals. She decided to carry her extra-large Louis Vuitton bag in order to accommodate everything that she had been carrying around lately. Although Abby was handling everything, Olivia had a notebook full of checklists in her bag, as well as the normal things she carried around on a daily basis. Her extra baggage today came in the form of a t-shirt and loose fitting cotton shorts and a pair of black flip flops. She had her waxing appointment in a couple hours but was first going out to meet Catherine at the spa. She wasn't really shocked, but when her future mother-in-law called her early that morning requesting to have a visit with her at the spa, Olivia couldn't turn down the offer and luckily was able to push her original appointment back two hours. She knew she'd have to change into something a little more comfortable once it was time for the wax, and knew her large bag would accommodate all she planned to carry.

Olivia snapped back to reality hearing the song go off and rolled her eyes realizing the song must have been on repeat. As annoying as the song was, she couldn't stop the smile from reaching her eyes as she watched her brother and her daughter bounce as high as they could on the trampoline with each other. She cackled loudly, holding her uncles hands tightly, as he bounced her much further than her small body allowed on its own.

Getting him from the airport that morning had been simple, and since Madison had ran up to hug him as soon as she spotted him at baggage claim, the two of them had been inseparable. Making her way to the trampoline, Olivia unzipped the side, waiting for Harrison to actually notice that she was there.

"Hey!" she yelled over the loud music when it seemed that their game of "airplane" was much more interesting that her. When Madison noticed her, she beckoned her over and pulled her in for a hug when she was within reach.

"You be good for your Uncle Harrison okay? I'm going to go spend a little time with your Grammie, but I'll be back in just a few short hours, and guess what? Daddy will be home soon too."

"Yay" she cheered, bouncing a little.

"Have fun Liv, that's what we plan to do. Anything specific for lunch for her?"

"Whatever you can find. We've been kinda just grabbing things here and there since we won't be here next week, but whatever you can find around is fine. We don't have any nuts in the house, so she can have whatever as long as it's actual food and not just junk. I could barely get her to sit still enough for breakfast, she was so excited to get you, so she definitely needs a good lunch. You could always just give her some fruit and yogurt and once Fitz is home, she'll make him feed her."

"Sounds good, tell your mom to get outta here, so you can play with your favorite Uncle Boss" Harrison bounced, causing Liv to tighten her grip on Madison as the little girl started bouncing in return from his impact.

"Bye love, be careful." Not wasting any more time, Olivia kissed her before walking back towards the house to leave. "Oh, and no taking Wally out Harrison, she knows the rules, don't let her trick you."

Olivia closed her eyes while the scrub was gently massaged on her face as Catherine leaned back in the chair next to her, allowing the woman to continue the work on her feet, while another rubbed at her shoulders. They had been at the Pampered Spa for just under three hours, and had a little over and hour left to enjoy the pampering they offered.

When the woman finally turned the ultra-violet light on and pointed it towards Catherine's nails, Olivia had just finished getting the sugar scrub cleaned off of her face and sighed in complete comfort as a bottle of water was placed near her and the last lady walked out. Her full body massage had relaxed her so much, that she had nearly fallen asleep on the table. Sitting up to look at her newly painted toes, she nodded her head in approval and looked at Catherine's that were drying.

"I _really_ love the color you chose, Mom. It's gonna look great with your dress."

"Thanks, I think so too. It's definitely different, and I'm sure Jerry will get a kick out of it, but I wanted to try something different. Did you set up the appointment for Saturday morning? Will you get your nails or hair done first?"

"Definitely nails. The appointment is at eight in the morning, and my friend Sabrina is coming over to do my hair and makeup at nine. She's going to do Madison's hair as well, so I've been prepping her as much as possible." They both laughed at the statement, knowing Madison didn't allow just anyone to touch her hair. "She'd done her hair once or twice before, but she was too little to remember."

Catherine smiled, already thinking of something she could bring to bribe her granddaughter into being good and still in order to get her hair done for the wedding.

"Your dress is beautiful Liv, both of them, and I wanted to say that I was extremely honored to be there during your first fitting. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make the last one."

"Oh, no you're completely fine. I was so happy to have you at the first one. It really meant a lot for you to be there."

"Your mom would've been so proud of you. I know she _is._ The amazing woman you are, and the amazing daughter you've raised…. I imagine both of your parents being extremely proud of you."

Olivia steadied her breath, thinking of her parents and wishing they could be there with her to celebrate her wedding day.

"I've been thinking of them a lot these past few weeks as the day gets closer, and I really miss them and wish they could be here to do what parents are supposed to do on their child's wedding day." Tears fell from her eyes

"I know you do sweetheart. If there were any way I could make that possible for you, I would." She moved closer to Olivia and gripped her hand, before wiping away her tears with her free hand. She didn't know when it happened exactly, but she loved Olivia since the first day her son had mentioned her to them. It was what he said about her, and the way his eyes glossed over before he could even stop them. _"I've been waiting to see her again Mom. She's finally back."_

"You know when my son mentioned that there was a woman out there that he wanted us to meet, Jerry and I weren't skeptical at all. Fitzgerald brought one girl home in high school, partially because that was the rule, and he brought one girl home in med school kind of. She was in town visiting and they had dinner and we all but forced him to stop by and introduce us. But when you came along.." Catherine's voice caught, and she held up a finger indicating that she needed a second to gather her emotions. "When you came along Olivia, I swear you gave us some hope that our son would finally find some happiness. That he would find someone that was worth the kind of man he is, and someone that would in return cause him to be worthy of someone's love. I've never seen him in love with a woman before and once he spent time with Madison, baby it was like Christmas had come. You both awakened something in him that I can't put into words, and I've never been so grateful. You've made us grandparents and you gave me the second daughter that I've always wanted."

Olivia couldn't stop the tears from running down her face and didn't try, but instead pulled Catherine into a tight hug. "Thank you for raising such an amazing man. He's our world, and I'm going to love and cherish him forever, the way he deserves."

"I know you will darling, and when he does mess up, because that's what men do.." they both let out a breathy laugh, before she continued. "I want you to always remember how important you are to each other, and that making up is always so much more fun than fighting."

Olivia laughed loudly, a blush covering her face. Catherine grabbed a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her eyes before handing Olivia one to do the same. When she was finished, she put the packet up and pulled out a small box from her purse.

"Now I know that you have your something old from your mom. The hair necklace that you're wearing from her is exquisite, and it looks perfect with your gown. Your something new you made very clear was going to be both the garter and your engagement ring." Catherine paused, waving off the blush that appeared on Olivia's cheeks. "Something blue are the soft blue hydrangeas in your bouquet, and I wanted to give you your something borrowed."

Olivia watched as she opened up her purse, still careful of her newly painted nails, and pulled out a small square box. When Catherine opened the box, Olivia brought her hand to her heart and smiled softly at the beautiful diamond earrings that sparkled.

"I want you to feel free to say no, Olivia, but I hadn't heard you mention what earrings you were wearing and I would feel honored if you wore these. My mother gave them to me to wear on my wedding day."

She handed her the box and Olivia immediately nodded her head. "They're perfect mom. I definitely want to wear them, thank you so much." She pulled her into a tight hug, feeling extremely blessed to be blessed with her as a mother in law that would fill some of the void of not having her mother.

"Uncle Boss, do you want some more tea?"

"Yes, I would love some tea, you have any gin on hand" he spoke in a forced British accent, making Madison laugh out loud.

"What's gin?" she walked closer to him to pour the imaginary tea into the tiny pink up he held.

"Oh nothing. Do you have any crumpets, poppet?"

Her cackle made him laugh just the same and she shook her head no before taking off the purple crown she was wearing.

"Can I have some food now?"

"Sure, what do you want to eat?"

"ummm" Madison walked out of her bedroom and into the kitchen, beckoning her uncle to follow her.

"What's it gonna be shorty?

She walked over to him and held her hands up, letting him know she wanted to be lifted up and once she was in his arms, she reached over to the island and he obliged and sat her down.

"I think your mom said there's some chicken nuggets or something in the freezer, or do want a sandwich?"

"I want a pop tart and cookies please. My cookies that don't have any nuts in them. They're in that cabinet over there" She stood up and pointed towards the cabinet to the left of the pantry.

"Yea, that's not gonna happen kid. No cookies and pop tart for lunch. What else you got?"

"That's not fair" she pouted and stomped her foot in anger.

Harrison stood at the island staring at Madison as she stood atop of the island staring right back at him. He took in her stance, reminding him of her mother with her hands on her hips, akimbo, with her lips pursed out as she tried to make her point clear to her uncle.

"_My _daddy let's me eat pop tarts and cookies if I want for lunch time, so I _can_ have it."

"Well, I don't care what _your_ daddy lets you eat, and either way, I'm not letting you eat that cuz I know you're telling stories Maddie. You know it's not good to lie, don't you? Now should I call your daddy right now and ask him if you're telling stories to me?" Harrison pulled out his phone and started to push buttons before bringing it to his ear, pretending to actually call Fitz.

Her eyes widened not realizing that he had her daddy's number.

"NO! Don't call daddy, I was just telling a joke. I don't need cookies for lunch."

Before Harrison could respond, the lock on the front door turned, and the door pushed open revealing Fitz. Harrison was only half shocked to see him, knowing that he was due home around that time, but found it funny that he would show up the second he was threatening to call him on the phone.

"Hey man, we were just talking about you" Fitz walked over to Harrison and the two of them hugged quickly before Fitz looked over to Madison who looked as if she were about to burst into tears.

"HI baby girl. Why the sad face?"

She bent at the knees and crouched until her bottom touched the counter, with her feet still flat against the granite top, and held her head down, refusing to meet her daddy's eyes.

"Hey, come here" he was quick to scoop her up and hold her against his chest. "Can you tell daddy what's wrong?"

He looked at Harrison and after seeing the smirk on his soon to be, brother-in-law's face, he knew that she was probably mostly embarrassed and nervous meaning that she had gotten in trouble.

"I wasn't listening to Uncle Boss, and he called you to tell on me"

"She tried to convince me that you let her eat cookies and pop tarts for lunch and gave me all kinds of Pope attitude." He held in his laugh, having no shame at snitching on his niece.

Fitz held in his laugh understanding that Madison thought Harrison had called him and he'd come right home to deal with whatever had happened. Her face was buried in his neck, and once he had a straight face, he pulled her away from him and sat her on the edge of the counter.

"Now listen up Mads, you know that you're supposed to be obedient and listen right? Me and mommy expect you to listen and be a good girl when we're gone, do you understand?"

She nodded her head without looking up, and as much as Fitz just wanted to take her in his arms and hug her until she was happy again, the words Olivia had spoken to him earlier, rang in his ear. He had to discipline Madison, and even if it just meant talking to her and making her understand her actions, he would start it now.

"You need to apologize to your uncle please."

She glanced at Harrison and mumbled "I'm sorry" before looking back at her feet that hung off the island. Fitz lifted her up and kissed her forehead before setting her down on the floor.

"You wanna go in your room until you're ready to come back out?"

She wasted no time nodding her head, and running out of the room. Fitz stood back up and shook his head before turning to Harrison who was holding back a laugh.

"Not a word. God, this is the part of parenting I do not like. I need a drink" he bypassed Harrison, and grabbed a beer from the fridge before offering him one as well, and he accepted.

"How was your flight in?" he took a swig of the beer then placed it down before preheating the oven. He took out a cookie sheet before tearing off a piece of foil and throwing a couple of chicken nuggets on the pan.

"It was good, and not too long. I got my own row so that was nice. I guess not many people flying from the city to Raleigh on a Thursday. All I know is that I'm more than ready to get on that next plane to Antigua and start the real vacation."

Fitz laughed, agreeing with him, but having a job to throw in. "Have you ever flown with an almost four year old before? Sometimes driving to the lake can be a pain, but I think she'll do fine. It'll be her first flight and we won't even be with her."

"She'll be good, Fitz. You don't need to worry about her at all."

"I know she'll be fine with you flying down with her, but it won't stop me from worrying. But worrying, also won't stop me from enjoying my honeymoon night either."

"Umm, brother of the bride in the room. I don't wanna hear that shit."

Hearing the signal go off, Fitz placed the pan in the oven and checked the time before he set the oven timer.

Fitz followed Harrison, and sat down at the breakfast bar across from him.

"So I hear I'm supposed to cut some grass today?"

"Yea, you can thank your sister for that. I told her the guys couldn't change the day for this month, and she insisted that you were a pro at mowing."

"Just because my mother forced me to cut grass for my first summer job and every house in the neighborhood requested my services, doesn't mean that I actually enjoy cutting grass."

Fitz laughed and took a swig of the drink before going to the pantry and grabbing a protein bar and offered one to Harrison. When he declined, Fitz sat back down and opened the bar and quickly wolfing it down. He was starving, but wanted to wait because he knew Olivia would be home any minute by the indication of the texts she had been sending him on his way home.

They sat there taking for a few more minutes, Fitz taking the nuggets out when the timer blared and while he was turning the oven off, he heard the garage door open and soon enough, Olivia walked in looking every bit of relaxed and content. She didn't greet him right away, instead she walked over to Harrison and hugged him, hating that she had to leave so soon after picking him up. She hadn't originally planned to spend part of the morning with Catherine, but was glad her brother was okay with her ditching him right away.

Olivia looked around the kitchen, catching the way Fitz' eyes were glued to her, before she looked at her brother. "Where's my baby?"

"Oh you mean your little liar? She's in her room wearing a Pope Pout" he laughed before going to the fridge and looking around. "What's for lunch sis? You know you gotta feed me if you expect me to do anything to your yard."

"Why's she back there, what's wrong?"

Fitz decided to speak up. "When I got on, she had been sassing Harrison, and I got on her about it."

"You mean you actually disciplined her? I'm so proud of you. Now I get to go pat her up since daddy was being a meany" she smirked in his direction before turning around and going down the hall. "Mommy's not the bad guy anymore and it only took nearly a year."

He shook his head knowing that she was only kidding and went to putting the nuggets on a plate for Madison to eat. Olivia came out just seconds later carrying Madison who was rubbing her eyes, obviously having fallen asleep in the ten minutes she was in there.

"I'm hungry mommy"

"Daddy has your food ready, why don't you go to your chair" She tried to put her down, but at the feel of her legs tightening around her waist, she stopped trying to lower her, and moved a few stray curls behind her ear. "What's wrong toots, what do you want?"

She didn't speak at first, but just looked over at Fitz before turning back to her mother.

"Baby, tell mommy what you want"

Madison leaned up to get closer to Olivia's ear and both Fitz and Harrison strained to hear the muffled, yet loud whispers. They watched Olivia's brow furrow before her lips showed a purposeful pout and she started walking towards Fitz.

"She wants you to hug her and not be mad at her"

Fitz felt his heart break hearing those words, knowing that's how Madison was feeling.

"Come here Mads" he didn't hesitate taking her from Olivia's arms and hugging her to his chest. "Daddy is not mad at you baby, I promise. I just want you to be a good girl okay and I know you can do it"

He walked around the island with Madison burrowed into his neck and noticed Olivia and Harrison laughing silently at the way he immediately caved. He shook his head at the two of them, watching as Olivia moved to the freezer and took out stuff for the stir fry she planned to make for lunch. She started pulling out the wok from the cabinet and noticed Fitz whispering something in Madison's ear that put a smile on her daughter's face and had her nodding her head excitedly before she leaned forward to squeeze his neck with her arms. Olivia saw Fitz turn to whisper something in her ear once again before Madison leaned back gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

He ignored both Harrison and Olivia, and grabbed Madison's plated of nuggets that were definitely cooled off, and brought it to the table before sitting with her on his lap so she could finally have her lunch.

Fitz waited on the edge of their bed for Olivia to come out from reading Madison an extra, promised bedtime story of the book she had picked up for her earlier that day. Fitz had already said his goodnights before their story began and Harrison had passed out nearly an hour ago after he had finished the back yard and showered. The second Fitz heard Olivia close Madison's room door softly, he moved closer to the bedroom door and once she was inside, he closed the door and attached his lips to her.

"Baby, wait. We can't"

"What do you mean baby. I need to feel you." He said, kissing her harder, and biting her lips to stop her from talking.

"Not tonight baby" she managed to get out between his mouth devouring hers. She felt his fingers on her hips, pushing her tiny shorts down before his hand slipped into her panties and….

"ahhh" Olivia hissed, immediately pulling away from Fitz.

Fitz looked at Olivia confused until it finally clicked in his head.

"You had an appointment today" his voice was full of desire and knowing exactly why she pulled away gave him a visual and made his boxers suddenly feel tighter. Having a mind of its own, his hand slowly slipped back into her panties, softly touching her smooth, intimate skin.

"Yes, I had an appointment, and I'm still sore." She moved a step back causing his hand to slip out of her undergarments. "Plus…" she said coyly.

"Plus what" Fitz spoke putting his hands behind his back, knowing he could get in trouble if he didn't.

"I got a little something extra done. I've never done it before, so yea, we really can't tonight baby."

"What the hell does that even mean baby? Ugh, you're killing me Liv."

"Hey!" she said stopping his rant. "It's always worth the wait right?"

His hands ran across his face, and he blew out a loud breath then walked towards their bathroom doors.

"It's fucking always worth the wait baby. But now I can't talk to you because I need to take a cold shower." He nodded once at her before he went into the bathroom and closed the door much louder than he needed to.

To say that things were chaotic the next day would have been an understatement. Olivia was under strict orders to not have to handle anything, so while she spent some much needed alone time with Madison, Harrison, Quinn, Abby and Fitz were home making sure that everything on their end was perfected for the big day tomorrow. Catherine and Jerry had been getting things set up for Madison to stay at their house for three days, before she would go back with Harrison Tuesday evening. The plan was that while Harrison stayed at their house and visited friends that he hadn't seen in a while, Madison would stay with her grandparents before she and Harrison flew down to Antigua on Wednesday morning. Fitz and Olivia were more than excited to go on their honeymoon, but also knew they wanted to include their daughter in their celebration later in the week, making it into a small vacation for the three of them. They would hang out with Harrison once they flew in Tuesday, but then he planned to do his own thing and explore the island, "I need to explore some ladies"- as he put it- leaving the family to bond together before they all flew home Friday evening.

So far everything had gone according to plan, with deliveries, set up, last minute guest additions and lastly, the DJ had finally came through on finishing the mix they wanted to be played during their reception. Abby had been a drill sergeant making sure everything was handled the correct way, going behind and double checking everyone's tasks to make sure they were done to her liking.

Madison and Olivia walked hand and hand through the doors of the Saving Grace Pet Rescue, and were greeted with the songs of the dogs and cats that were housed there. She felt Madison's grip on her hand tighten, and Olivia scooped her up to sit on her hip while they made their way to the front desk. Olivia had been in search for a dog to adopt one day soon, and this would be her third visit to the shelter in the past month. Fitz had mentioned before that he wanted to get a dog for Madison and their future children, but deep down she knew he wanted one for himself. He loved dogs, and made it clear that he would only adopt one, rather than purchase from a pet store. There were a couple dogs that she had been interested in, but for some reason there was only one particular dog that she had visited with the two times she had come.

"I see that you're back, and is this your little one you mentioned?"

The lady at the front always greeted Olivia with a smile. She returned the smile, and bounced Madison a bit in her arms before nodding her head. "Yes, this is Madison. Baby, can you say hi?"

Madison waved, but was occupied with peering down the hall, doing her best to find one of the dogs that she heard barking.

"Well it's obvious that she's got one thing on her mind, so I'm assuming you want to get back there and see your guy again?" When Olivia nodded, she continued. "Alright, let me get one of my guys up here to take you guys back to start the meet and greet. I think those two will hit it off immediately. One of his previous owners was a 2 year old that he'd grown up with, so I'm sure he misses her dearly and could use a friend like your little one."

Olivia smiled, praying that she was right. She just knew Scooter would be the perfect fit for their family, but until she saw Madison with the year old Labrador-Retriever, she wouldn't make a final decision.

Fitz stood at the front of the aisle stretching his fingers and moving his neck from side to side, knowing that the nerves he was feeling were simply from the excitement he felt. Today, in just a few short minutes, would be the day he would marry his Livvie in front of close friends and family.

"Take a breath, dude. You don't wanna have my sister walk down the aisle and you have pit stains cause you're sweating bullets, do you?" Harrison stepped beside him and handed him a bottle of water.

"Ahhh, I don't get why I'm so nervous. Today is going to be perfect, I know it will be, I just for some reason can't stop fidgeting until I see her." Fitz took a swig of the water and let out a heavy sigh.

Harrison was about to respond but noticed Jerry approaching the two of them.

"You doing alright there, son?" he noticed the sweat on his forehead and shook his head. "With nerves like that you know it's real. You think she might say no up there?"

Fitz' head snapped at his father and his face was pure horror. _Was that possible? Would she say no in front of all these people? Did Olivia have ANY second thoughts?"_

"Alright Grant, breathe man. He's only messing with you."

"Fitzgerald Grant II, you get away from my son, and quit filling his head with this nonsense. Hunny, don't you listen to a word your father has said. As a matter of fact, I came out here looking for you. We start in ten minutes, but you're needed in the house for a second.

Fitz took another sip of his water before following his mother through the sliding doors to the patio. It was off limits to guest unless they needed to use the restroom, but the side gate had been opened for everyone to come in from their cars.

"What's going on Mom, is everything okay with Liv?"

Catherine had held up a hand indicating for him to stop where he was, but continued down the hall to where Olivia was getting ready in their bedroom. It's not like there was a guard outside of the door, and he had spent a good amount of time earlier talking himself out of not walking right into the room just to connect his eyes with her. Fitz wasn't having any type of second thoughts, but there was something in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't shake. He tried once again to stretch his arms out, but stopped as soon as he heard the door close loudly down the hall, followed by the quick pattering of shoes against the hardwood floors.

The forty-six people that were sitting in his backyard carried on loud conversations as they had been for the past thirty minutes since they'd all arrived, but the second Madison came into his line of sight, all the voices faded from Fitz' mind and he could only hear her giggle and squeals coming at him full force.

"Daddy!" she yelled as he squatted down and engulfed her body in a tight hug as soon as she was close enough to him.

Fitz hugged her tightly to his chest, pushing back the tears that were forcing their way to his eyes, and swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat the second he saw his princess.

"Oh hunny, you look _beautiful_! Let daddy see your dress."

He placed her back on the floor and looked over her beautiful cream, laced dress. It had lace quarter length sleeves, with crystals along the neck line and sides of the dress. It was lose fitting and flowing, stopped just below her knees and on her feet she wore sparkly ballet flats. Her hair had been washed a perfectly conditioned so that her curls were in perfect ringlets, cascading down her back and on the top of her head was a beautifully made flower crown with soft blue and cream flowers that matched the ones in her mother's bouquet.

Fitz felt the tears rush back to his eyes once again when he took in her beauty.

"Mommy said to give you this" she finally spoke and leaned in to give him a soft kiss on his forehead before she pulled back giggling. "And then I'm going to give you kisses too, daddy." Again, she leaned forward and pushed a wet kiss on his lips and then turned back to where her grandmother was standing behind them.

"Now can I wear my lip gloss Grammy?"

Fitz roared with laughter at her adorableness and gave her a kiss right back on the forehead.  
"You give this kiss to mommy, and tell her I'll see her in a couple of minutes, and you take this kiss, and go get your lip gloss on baby girl." He kissed her lips and patted her bottom before she took down the hall with his mother hot on her tail.

The noise that had filled the backyard before ceased as music began to play. Fitz walked back down the aisle with his parents on either side of him. He shook his father's hand and hugged him before he kissed his mother's cheek and hugged her. He took his spot and smiled as Abby walked down the aisle next. When she got to the end, she hugged Fitz, and sat down side-ways on the edge of her chair and looked back to the sliding doors of the house.

Fitz peered down the aisle and saw Harrison set Madison up at the start of the walkway, before he whispered something in her ear and walked back into the house. Madison held tightly to the basket in her hand, and reached in to grab a handful of white roses. She looked around trying to find Ms. Quinn just like they practiced it, and once she saw her giving her a thumbs up, she released the handful of flower on the floor and took a step forward. She glanced up at her Auntie and when Madison saw her wink at her, she grabbed another handful, but this time she spun around in a circle as she released them over her head and giggled loudly as she almost lost her footing at the end. The guest erupted in laughs and "awws" and Abby gave Madison a thumbs up knowing it would get rid of the nerves the little girl had walking down the aisle. She twirled two more times, before it dawned on her that Fitz was at the end of the aisle, bent at the knees and watching her. She grabbed the handfuls faster and walked down the aisle briskly until she reached him and he pulled her into his arms. Fitz whispered to her how great she did, before kissing her head and sitting her on Abby's lap.

Taking a deep breath, Fitz blinked his eyes several times, wanting to not have to close them again in the next few minutes when he heard the minister start.

"Please stand for the bride"

The glass doors were opened, and Olivia tightened her arm around Harrison's.

"You're beautiful sis. Mom and Dad would be so proud. Let's get you married."

_Here we are together  
In a place, in a space surrounded with love  
Here to say  
(Yes, I do)  
I love you and I wanna be the only one_

Fitz' eyes fixated on Olivia's form as soon as she was in his line of vision and he felt his mouth go dry. She was breathtaking. He looked around, wondering if anyone had ever seen someone as beautiful as his bride.

_'Cause you, you are  
(You are just the one, I want to spend the rest of my life with)  
I wanna spend the rest of my life  
(You are just the one to bring out the very best in me)  
You make me so happy  
(You make me so happy)  
Happy forever  
(Happy forever)  
And that's a mighty long time_

The white satin floor length gown hugged her curves perfectly, and the small train I the back gave the illusion that she was floating down the aisle. The low cut bust featured a series of diamonds that dipped between her cleavage, giving the appearance of a heart shaped bust. Just below the bust line, diamond formed flowers accented the gown, spanning the top half of her midsection, accenting the diamond incrusted two inch straps.

_We must be in  
We must be in love_

Harrison kissed her cheek and took a seat next to Abby and pulled Madison onto his lap and she watched her parents with wide eyes.

Fitz couldn't stop staring at Olivia. Her hand was gripped tightly in his hands, and she only removed one hand from his to wipe at the tears that had escaped his eyes.

"_I love you_" Fitz mothed the words to Olivia, fighting the urge to break the rules and kiss her perfect lips. Her hair was pinned to one side revealing her perfect neck, and he found himself taking a fourth of a step back from her so he wouldn't attack her in front of their guest.

Olivia's eyes shined brightly staring into Fitz' eyes, the pep talk she'd given herself about not crying, working wonders.

The guest took their seats and sat quietly as the minister spoke of what a marriage meant in the eyes of The Lord and what this day should truly mean to them. It was a couple of minutes later that he read a few scriptures, then looked to Olivia, then Fitz.

"Olivia and Fitz have decided to write their own vows, Fitz."

"Wait!" Olivia interupted"Can I go first? I really don't think I'll be able to make it through mine if he goes first."

Fitz nodded once, not caring what the minister's answer would be. His Livvie could have anything she wanted in that moment.

"When I was a little girl, I used to pray that I would find someone that would be my everything. Someone that would love me unconditionally and I would think that person hung the moon. But God said to wait." She sniffed and felt a tear escape her eye before continuing. "I kept trying to live everyday being patient, but doing things on my own accord thinking that I could find happiness on my own terms but God kept telling me to wait, and I never knew why until the day you came back into my life." She choked on her words, overcome with emotion and fighting the urge to kiss him. "Fitz, it's been said that there's one word that will free us from the weight and the pain of life, and that word is love. And I believe that. That doesn't mean that there won't be tough times, and that it'll always be easy, but it means that I've found a stillness, and a bravery in myself with you." Olivia brought a hand to his cheek and caressed his skin. "You make me brave baby. You've given me so much. A best friend, a coach, a lover, and most importantly, you gave my little girl a daddy that loves her immensely. I can't possibly describe how much I love you, so I'll tell you why I love you. You see the world in a way that no one else does, and you appreciate _everything._ Including me. There's no one in the world like you. And if you say yes in a few minutes, I'll get to spend the rest of my life trying to see the world through your eyes. Appreciating everything, including you, the most unique, wonderful, and terribly handsome man I've ever met. I promise to honor, cherish, and love you with everything that I have in me. This I vow to you, today and always."

Olivia took a deep breath, and prepared herself for the words that she knew would bring her to tears in front of their guest.

"Livvie, before I met you, I thought my world had everything I need to be happy. I had nothing else to compare it to. Then you walked into my life, and everything changed. I realized how empty my world was without you in it, and my old life was no longer capable of making me happy, not without you. I love everything about you Livvie. I love the way you challenge me, like no one ever has. I love the way you look at me like no one ever has. And I love the way you love me. You came into my life and brought someone along with you that changed my world completely. You allowed me to love your little girl like she was my own and I promise to spend forever caring and loving her as if she were my own flesh and blood." It was Fitz' turn to get choked up when he spoke about all Olivia had truly given him. "I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without the two of you, and if _you_ say yes to _me_ in a few minutes, I won't have to."

Fitz held tightly Olivia's hands, assisting her to her knees before he too down on his knees and nodded to Abby to let Madison down. Fitz moved one of his legs up so that Madison could sit on his knee facing the crowd before he began speaking directly to her.

'Mads, you are so very special to daddy and I love you so very much. I promise to always take care of you, to help you when you need me, to guide and protect you from any harm and to love you unconditionally. I am going to love you forever Best Girl."

He smiled at her as she told him she loved him too in a small voice, becoming shy at all the eyes on her. Fitz reached into his jacket's pocket and pulled out two small boxes. Opening the first one, he pulled out a white gold locket, and opened the clasp before slipping it around Madison's neck. She peered down at the new piece of jewelry and smiled brightly.

"What does the words say, daddy?"

"It says, "My Best Girl" and on the back it says, "Love Daddy"

She kissed him and hugged his neck tightly before she continued to play with her new necklace.

"And for you," he opened the second box and pulled out the final piece that would complete the set on Olivia's ring finger. Sliding the ring on her finger, Fitz, brought it to his lips before he stood up with Madison perched on his arm, then he helped Olivia into an upright position.

"By the power invested in me, by the state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you, Husband and Wife. Fitzgerald Grant, you may kiss your wife."

Fitz pulled Olivia towards him with his free arm and attached his lips to her immediately. She opened her mouth, ready to feel his tongue on hers and sighed a breath of relief at the feel of their harmonious dance. It was just the two of them, tasting one another and basking in their first kiss as a married couple.

"I love you Mrs. Grant" he whispered against her lips once the need for air became too much. He still refused to move his lips from hers.

"I love the sound of that. Right back at ya, Mr. Grant."

"Kiss me" Madison interrupted.

Fitz and Olivia complied and smothered each of her cheeks in kisses, sending her into a giggling fit, and squirming in Fitz' arms. Olivia looked at and glanced into Fitz' eyes, knowing that she was exactly where she belonged, and that life was perfect at the moment.

It was fifteen minutes later that Olivia and Fitz were torn out of love nest at the front table, by the DJ announcing the couple to share their first dance. The two of them had gone to change Madison into her reception dress as promised, and the little girl was in her element in the right blue dress.

Fitz took the lead and walked to the front, Olivia following behind him, her hand tightly woven into his.

"Which one did you pick" She asked him as he pulled her into his chest.

"Just wait and see" His baritone voice send shivers up her spine, and Olivia clutched tightly to his arms before resting her head completely on his chest, waiting for the music to start up.

_Please wait while I slowly untie my tongue tonight_

_I pray by some feeble my words would tell you what my heart has to say_

_'Cause you've always been right beside me for so many days_

_How could I be without you now?_

_'Cause I am changed by you_

_The more I get to know you_

_The more I want you close to me_

_And I'll take care of you_

_Please just say you'll let me_

_Forever be whatever you need_

_And so if you're supposed to get what you deserve in life_

_And you came just in the nick of time_

_God's grace has overtaken me_

_My love, needless to say, I am blessed by you_

_'Cause you are the one, you are the one that I've been waiting for_

_I've been waiting for_

_And I am changed by you_

_The more I get to know you_

_The more I want you close to me_

_And I'll take care of you_

_Please just say you'll let me_

_Forever be whatever you need_

_You melt my fears away_

_And reach inside me with your eyes_

_And light a burning fire_

_And I cannot stop staring_

_And I am changed by you_

_The more I get to know you_

_The more I want you close to me_

_And I'll take care of you_

_Please just say you'll let me_

_Forever be whatever you need_

As the song ended, Olivia felt Fitz lift her head from his chest and gently wipe the tears from her eyes.

"That was perfect, baby"

"No, you're perfect Livvie." Fitz glanced down at his watched, making sure to keep track of the time, and led her back to their seats as their guest clapped and lunch officially began.

Two hours later, after speeches were given, food was eaten, cake was licked from the bride and grooms fingers earning cat calls from the guest, Fitz and Madison ended the reception with a daddy/daughter dance, making Olivia cry from start to finish. They thanked their guest, loaded the gifts into the house, and while things were broken down and monitored by Abby, Quinn and Harrison, Jerry and Catherine stood watch as Olivia and Fitz said their goodbyes to Madison. Their plane left in just under three hours, and they were about to leave for the airport knowing that traffic on a Saturday a 3:00 pm was very possible.

"Alright Toots, you remember when me and daddy told you that after the party we were going to go someplace on a plane and you were going to stay here with Grammy and Poppy?"

She nodded her head, a frown already appearing on her face. She was sitting on Olivia's lap, in the dress she had changed into to travel in, sideways so they both could see her as they sat side by side with their thighs touching.

"So me and daddy are going to go get on our plane now, but we will see you in just a few, short days remember? Uncle Boss is gonna come take you on a plane to see me and daddy okay?"

She nodded her head again, choosing not to speak. Fitz picked her up from Olivia's lap and stood her so that her knees were resting on his thighs.

"Hey baby girl, I need you to give us some smiles, and big hugs and kisses so that we can get going okay? We can't leave without hugs and kisses from you. And you're gonna have so much fun with Grammy and Poppy and we will see you soon."

"Can I have more cake tonight?"

They hadn't expected that to come out of her mouth, figuring that she was saddened by the thought of them leaving, not at the possibility of not having any more cake.

"Yes baby, you can have more cake, "Olivia spoke seeing Catherine nod her head in approval of more cake. "now give up the sugar kiddo."

They smothered her in hugs and kisses, both knowing they'd have a large piece of their heart missing.

"We love you baby." Fitz spoke against her curls.

"I love you daddy. I love you mommy."

They said goodbye to everyone and thanked Fitz's parents for taking care of Madison before they were out the door and loading into their cab.

"Let's get this honeymoon on the road, Mrs. Grant"

**They're married! YAY! I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter and will leave a review to share your thoughts, questions, likes, dislikes and such. I definitely encourage you to listen to the song that they danced to, "Changed By You" by Between The Trees. My friends danced to that at their wedding and I bawled, the lyrics were so beautiful. I also encourage you to listen to the song "We Must Be In Love" by Pure Soul- although I will say there isn't an accapella version on YouTube, and my mom had the cd when I was growing up and she planned to use that to walk down the aisle to, and it took my breath away even as a kid. Beautiful! SO if you listen to it, imagine it accapella with just the voices. Thanks for reading and I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Will update much quicker, picking up on the Honeymoon! **

**Jennifer**


	13. Chapter 12

_Maybe it's her laugh when she throws back and sighs  
Or her eyebrows when I do something stupid  
Maybe it's her smell, the lotion she wears  
Or how my hands smell like country pear for days  
You know it could be all these things  
But I think mostly it is her smile  
Cause I love to see her smile back at me  
And I know she is happy_

_**All These Things- Stephen Speaks**_

_**Ahhhh! Thanks so much for the positive feedback from last chapter! I appreciated it so much, and am so glad you enjoyed it. I heard all of your pregnancy pleads and they made me smile. I hope that you enjoy this chapter. I also need to thank my Kayla, who helps me so much when I write and keeps me on track as much as I allow her to! ALSO- I wrote the days for the Honeymoon right, but in the same sentence mixed the days up- so Madison is with Jerry and Catherine until Tuesday evening and her and Harrison will fly out Wednesday morning and then they will all leave the island Friday evening. Had to clear that up to make myself feel better. And Thank You to Mo that slayed two of these scenes for me because I couldn't get the words out, and I knew she could speak for me. Appreciate you so! Also, this chapter is somewhat music heavy? Don't know why, it just felt right to add in songs at certain moments, but I did my best to not fill the chapter with lyrics.**_

"_**Maybe it's her face, no makeup at all  
As I tell her she is beautiful"**_

Fitzgerald Grant moved over his wife's body, wanting the feel and scent of her to be what fully woke him up on their first morning as a married couple. Olivia stirred beneath him, her thoroughly worked body immediately responding to his touch, as her feet moved up and down his calf muscles.

"_**Maybe it's her laugh when she throws back and sighs  
Or her eyebrows when I do something stupid"**_

Olivia's one eyebrow immediately arched as she felt him rub the tip of his penis against her opening, starting the flow between her folds. She threw her head back and moaned, enjoying the teasing that was sure to prepare her body for his size.

"_**Maybe it's your touch, the feel of your hands  
When you put your tiny fingers in mine" **_

Fitz reached for Olivia's fingers, intertwining them with hers as he slowly pushed his way inside of her, his baritone voice continuing to sing the beautiful lyrics against her lips. Olivia was pressed into the mattress as Fitz' body lay atop hers, joining them in rhythm with the song he had chosen to wake her up with.

"_**Maybe it's her eyes, gently searching my soul"**_

Fitz nudged his nose against her, waiting for her to respond to the lyrics. When Olivia finally obliged and opened her eyes, she felt his hips drive faster into her, sending her core into a frenzy, gripping him with every deep thrust. Removing a hand from hers, Fitz moved to massage her clit in circular motions, wanting to make her cum before she even had the chance to speak a word that morning.

Feeling her orgasm nearing, Olivia removed her hand from his and brought it to his ass, pulling him as close to her as she could manage and wrapping her legs around him so tight, and squeezing him that he was unable to pull out of her. Moving both hands to his back, she pressed his chest against her breast and his mouth found hers and their tongues connected for just seconds before their orgasms hit at the same time.

They continued to kiss each other as Olivia's legs loosened around his waist and her hands moved to the dimples over his ass, tracing patterns there. Fitz pulled his lips from hers before finishing the final lyrics while staring into her eyes.

___**Still nothing stirs me like when I see those lips roll  
and I see her smile. **_

_**Cause I love to see her smile back at me  
And I know she is happy**_

"I'm very happy, baby." Olivia peered up at him and smiled seeing the satiated look on his face so early in the morning. She had honestly lost count of how many times they had gone at it since arriving in Antigua the night before, but if the tenderness of her body was any indication, then they'd been at it non-stop. They'd ordered wine on their flight down and didn't have an appetite for anything other than each other once they arrived and were checked into their Hotel Suite.

They were staying at the Jumby Bay, Rosewood Resort's Pool Suite and it was exquisite. The resort sat on three-hundred acres and was just a seven minute boat ride from the main island of Antigua with boats running back and forth throughout the day. The antique privacy gate and entry courtyard welcomed them into the elegant one-bedroom suite that included a large living space, a grand room with vaulted ceilings, separate master bedroom with a spacious bathroom and a private outdoor rain shower and tub. Also overlooking the teal colored sea was an expansive terrace with a private pool. They wanted to go all out for their honeymoon after having such an inexpensive wedding that was paid in full by Fitz's parents, and they knew having something spacious would come in handy for when Madison arrived in a few days. They also knew that they more than likely wouldn't take another family vacation before the year was over and wanted to make the most of it.

"Good morning Mrs. Grant. How are you feeling on this beautiful…" he trailed off and strained his neck to see the time on the alarm clock on the nightstand before setting back on top of her. "On this beautiful Sunday morning at a quarter to nine. Did you sleep okay?"

"You're such a goofball, babe. But I feel completely satisfied, loved, drained, I actually didn't sleep that well, it took forever to fall asleep for some reason."

Moving his fingertips to rub at the front of her hairline, Fitz leaned forward and kissed her lips. "I'm sorry baby, I honestly thought I had wore you out."

"You definitely did, and I was and still am tired, I just couldn't seem to fall asleep for a long time. But I'm up now and don't feel like sleeping anymore. We also skipped dinner last night, so I'm kind of starving."

Fitz looked at her, feigning surprise at her confession.  
"Well what kind of husband completely ravishes his wife without feeding her first? I'm not so sure that he sounds like someone you should keep around for much longer"

"Naaa, he's a good one, he just has a one track mind sometimes when it comes to me, but I don't really mind. I feel the same way about him."

"So you're saying we should stay in bed a little longer and fulfill those needs?"

Fitz had stopped their little charade and finally pulled out of her, planning on preparing Olivia for their next round of lovemaking, when she put a hand up to stop him.

"Wait. Fitz, let's get some breakfast and then I wanted to go to that bridge we read about and go exploring."

"Livvie" he exhaled loudly, wanting to plead his case but knowing he would do whatever she wanted to do. "Do we really have to leave the room already? We just got here?"

"Says the man that forgot to feed me last night?"

"I'm pretty sure we both had our feel of _eating_ last night" he kissed his way up her exposed torso before leaving a final kiss on her chin, and getting up from the bed. "But you're right, let's go explore. We've got two and a half days to ourselves before the munchkin gets here."

Olivia stared at him, and bit her lip before cluing him in on her thoughts. "Is it wrong that I miss her already?"

"Nope, I'm in the same boat. I miss her, and I know that we weren't sure about actually cutting our honeymoon short and making into a family vacation, but I think it was the right thing to do. We can have our honeymoon for three and a half days, and spend the last two days on the island as a family, together."

Fitz lifted her from the bed, and grabbed her hips before pressing his lips to hers.

"I'm glad we did it this way too." Moving from his grasp, Olivia made her way to the bathroom to start the shower. "You use the outdoor shower, and I'll use this one."

"Why can't we just share?" Fitz pouted, clearly wanting to be as close to her as he could.

"If we share we won't make it out to catch the first boat to the bridge. Now move it sexy" She rolled the hand towel up and slapped it against his ass, making him jump and before he had the chance to retaliate, she scurried in the bathroom before locking the door.

The weather was sunny, a bit humid, and breezy, all the makings of a normal May day in Antigua. When Fitz researched the weather during the summer months, he knew May was the perfect month to visit despite its everyday rain showers and slight humidity. They were more than excited to choose this destination, knowing it was private, had tons of touristy spots, and it was simply beautiful, but not too far from home.

Boarding the twenty minute ferry to the get to Devil's Bridge, Olivia stood overlooking the side of the boat with Fitz holding her from behind. The first rain shower had just happened, but they knew another could possibly come in the afternoon. Looking to the left, Olivia spotted a gorgeous rainbow and turned Fitz's attention towards it.

"Make a wish Liy" He whispered in her ear.

When they made it to their destination, Olivia's grip on Fitz tightened, and his arm stayed firmly around her waist. Devil's Bridge was a beautiful nature-made bridge that made for amazing sightseeing. The constant crashing of waves at the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea is what shaped the bridge, but with the daily showers, the wet limestone becomes dangerous to walk on at times. Olivia didn't mind the slippery bridge, and when other's started to make their way across the slippery surface and succeed, she let go of Fitz's hand and started forward.

"Hey, what are you doing? You're not walking on that Livvie." He grabbed her, and all but yanked her back to him.

"Fitz, come on, it'll be fine, everyone else just made it over. Live a little, babe."

"Hell no." he said shaking his head and laughing. "You think I came all this way to die cause we slipped on this damn bridge and into the water? Not gonna happen."

"Please baby. Do it for me? If we do this, then I won't beg to stand close to the blowhole"

"Blowhole?" Fitz shook his head before pulling a few of his curls towards his line of vision. "I think you're giving me grey hairs already, woman. Fine. We can walk across the death bridge, but you're holding my hand, and you're not to let go, until I say so."

She looked so much younger than her twenty-eight years bouncing up and down in front of him with a look of victory on her face. Kissing his lips quickly, she pulled her baseball cap firmly over her head and grabbed a hold of his hand before moving forward.

Olivia was careful, but she knew she was also overstimulated and excited to walk across the bridge, but more so she wanted to do it with Fitz by her side. Jet Skiing with Abby just months ago, was fun and exhilarating, but she was ready to do fun things with her husband. Although he probably wouldn't like it if she voiced it aloud, Olivia felt she could and would get into any mess possible as long as Fitz was by her side. There was something extremely satisfying knowing that she wasn't afraid to do or try anything with him as long as he was with her. She knew that one, Fitz would never let anything bad happen to her, and two, Fitz would always have her back and be the person she trusted the most.

She felt his hand tighten on hers, slowing her down and she looked back at him and rolled her eyes at his over-protectiveness. They were halfway across the bridge when Olivia stopped and took out her camera to take a couple of pictures of the two of them on the bridge and of the view. Right as she went to put her camera back in her over the shoulder bag, her foot slipped just an inch and Fitz grabbed a hold of her waist, pulling her tightly to him.

"You're going to be the death of me woman. We've got pictures, and you nearly died, I say it's perfect timing to head back." He kissed her nose, not giving her the chance to object and turned them around to walk back to the sidewalk heading back to the boat.

"How much longer till the boat leaves?" Fitz asked as he pulled her in the direction of the boat.

"There's one that leaves in fifteen minutes, but babe, we're supposed to see the blowholes first, then we can catch the next one."

"Liv, I read the brochure just like you did and it's not advised to be near them when they blow"

"Fitz, it says that for kids. Come on babe, please!" She whined knowing that she could get her way with just the right amount of pleading.

"Fine, and get this all out of your system cause there's no way in hell we're bringing Maddie here. I swear you're trying to make her an orphan Olivia." He huffed and let her lead them to their next destination.

It was two hours later when they were changing into more appropriate clothes after eating a simple lunch from the hotel's room service. They had done what Olivia wanted them to do that day, and as they sat down and ate, Fitz looked over one of the brochures they had picked up the night before from the front desk, and decided on what he wanted to do.

"Now babe, don't be surprised if **THIS** is when I fall to my death. Not too many of us go hiking" she said laughing while tying her boots up. He'd mentioned going hiking when they'd booked their trip, so they both came prepared for it.

"Yes, your brother warned me that I should carry you on my back just in case you broke your neck while on the trail. You'll be fine baby, I won't let anything happen to you. The trail that they have here isn't long anyway, probably won't even take us a full hour to get to the top, but the view will be completely worth it, trust me."

"And we can take pictures?" She asked coyly, knowing he had made fun of her for how much she was documenting their trip.

"Baby, you can take a million pictures if you want while we're up there. Trust me, I'm gonna want you to." He kissed her softly before grabbing their things and heading out.

When they arrived at Nelson Dockyard's trails, they read where each of the trails led, and decided on the difficult one because it led to a view of both the beach and the forest. With plenty of water, small snacks, ponchos, and a small afghan blanket, they started on the trail, making small talk, and flirting along the way.

"My legs are starting to kill me. I swear you're not getting any tonight unless you do all the work."

Fitz let out a hearty laugh, and reached forward to grab at her ass clad in extra short jean shorts she had packed and cut herself.

"I will go on record at this very moment assuring you that I will never be opposed to do all the work in the bedroom."

"Oh I'm sure. How much further to the top?"

"I'm sure it's not much more to go baby."

"You could just carry me the rest of the way if you really loved me."

She turned so he could see the pout she wore and once she realized it wouldn't work she turned back around and kept walking.

"I need to be entertained baby."

Fitz didn't say anything for a few minutes, then started to talk.

"Alright, I got something for you. Did you know.."

"Wait, are you gonna start dishing out your useless facts that you look up for fun?"

"Hey!" he moved up close behind her, grabbing a hold of her waist before pinching her side. "You need to be nice Mrs. Grant. I'm making sure you get plenty of sleep tonight, so you're not grumpy tomorrow."

"I'm sorry Fitz, you're right I'm being very grumpy and I hope you'll teach me a valuable lesson tonight." She turned around to kiss his lips eagerly, letting him feel her apology in their kiss.

Pulling away, Fitz turned her around to keep walking before grabbing a hold of her hand and passing her a bottle of water and a bag of peanuts. It was very rare that they ate them since Madison was usually around, but they knew traces of the food would be long gone before she arrived.

"I'm ready to hear those facts, babe."

"Okay, but you have to tell me some too. I know you secretly love random facts."

"The word "queue" is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed."

"Coca-Cola would be green if coloring weren't added to it."

"I knew that one actually. Alright, Dolphins sleep with one eye open"

Freaky. Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand." Olivia said.

"Slugs have four noses"

"An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain."

"The better to see you with, my dear" Fitz widened his eyes and smooshed his face closer to Olivia's, putting his eyes as closely as he could with her playfully pushing at him.

"Wait, we're here!" Olivia let go of his hand and ran the rest of the way, reaching the top of the trail and gasped at the view surrounding them. "It's amazing up here."

Olivia stood there, as close to the edge as she was willing to get and felt tears rushing to her eyes at how breathtaking it really was and how she almost missed it. She turned to see where Fitz was and noticed her handsome husband sitting down on the afghan they'd brought with his arms leaning on his legs that were propped up, waiting for her.

She walked over to him before getting on her knees in between his legs and wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him to her. Olivia burrowed into his neck, pecking his skin with every few breaths she took. "You always have a way of showing me how beautiful the world really is."

She felt Fitz take a hold of the bottom of her thighs and spread them so that each leg went around his waist and she sat straddling him. They both were able to fully embrace one another while looking out on the beautiful forest and beach of Antigua.

"Sing to me?"

Her voice was quiet in his ear, her hands scratching softly at his curls. Fitz didn't sing a lot, but she would hear him on occasion sing along with the radio in the car, and she couldn't count the number of times she'd heard him and Madison sing "Love is An Open Door" from Frozen, so she knew he had a great voice.

Fitz didn't began right away, and once he started, he simply began humming their wedding song, _Changed By You,_ only singing certain parts in her ear. Olivia felt the stillness in the world and the bravery she mentioned in her vows. She never thought in a million years she'd go hiking, but here she was wrapped in her husband's arms enjoying every second of it.

It was seconds after he was done singing that Fitz felt the air between them change and knew what his wife's next move would be. Olivia completely pulled away from him and stood up. Taking a small step back, she double checked that no one had come up the trail while they were in their own world, before she unbuttoned her shorts and pulled them down her legs along with her panties. She maneuvered them over her boots, deciding to keep them on. Squatting down in front of Fitz, he lifted his hips up to assist her and she pulled his cargo shorts and boxers down until they were passed his knees before she resumed her spot on his lap.

Seeing her in the tight t-shirt, boots and nothing else had Fitz panting and he immediately attached his lips to hers and sought out her tongue. She grinded her warm heat into his taunt erection, feeling it rub between her folds. Fearing that he might pass out from lack of air with the humidity being so high, Fitz tore his mouth away from hers and nipped at her neck, hating that her breast weren't available to him at the moment.

Grabbing a hold of her hips, Fitz lifted her slightly, angling her and lowered her onto him slowly. Her mouth fell open and she held on to his shoulders, taking control and letting herself ease down his rock hard shaft at her own pace. When she was completely sheathing him, they both sat still enjoying the feeling of being so connected.

"I love you" her strangled whispers came out, fearing that there was still a chance someone could come at any moment and catch them. The thought was also completely exhilarating and made Fitz almost want to get caught. Placing his arms behind him to balance their weight, Fitz allowed her to do all the work, knowing that he would return the favor later that evening. She moved closer to him, hugging his neck as she glided back and forth over him in repetition, gripping him with fierce ambition.

"Fitz you feel so good baby" She bit his lobe, not letting go until she felt her walls began to tremble and she pulled away. "Baby, you finish it."

Fitz needed no further explanation and sat up straight and moved his hands to her hips. Leaning forward he brought his mouth to hers in an open mouth kiss while his hands pushed her hips into his, moving her at a much faster pace than she was ever capable of. The humidity caused their skin to perspire more than normal and her pussy slapped onto his dick with ease over and over again. Even being occupied with keeping up the pace he had set, Fitz felt when Olivia brought her hand between them and stroked her clit. Seconds later, the feel of her husbands' tongue against hers and his final thrust against her hips brought forth Olivia's orgasm at the top of the Nelson Dockyard mountain. Seconds later he thrusted a final time into her and released his seed.

When their breathing finally settled down, Fitz kissed Olivia's lips before pushing her to stand up, and redress. He didn't want to take any chances of them being caught or being stuck up there with the sun slowly starting to go down. It would definitely be a day to remember.

Olivia and Fitz moved throughout the kitchen and outside deck with ease preparing dinner together and her sipping wine, while Fitz had his Crown. They had since made it home, only slightly freshened up since they planned to swim later, and started fixing their dinner of choice. They were making steak and chicken fajitas, Olivia chopping the vegetables and getting the condiments of sour cream, fresh salsa, and tortillas ready while Fitz grilled the meat out by the pool. They were both completely comfortable, Olivia waltzing around in a yellow bikini while Fitz had on trunks and his flip flops.

"You never told me you were such a grill master, babe." Olivia bumped her hip into his and smiled watching him slice at the steak to check its middle.

"I most definitely am a grill master. Dad always had me watching him grill when I was a kid. Speaking of which, we need to get a grill soon and I gotta teach my best girl all there is to know about grilling."

"Yea this whole "best girl" thing is a kick to the ego you know?"

"Are you jealous of our daughter, Livvie?"

"Maybe a little. But it's okay, just wait until we have a son. I'm gonna make sure he is the biggest momma's boy ever."

Checking the last piece of steak and chicken, Fitz closed the lid and hoisted Olivia up by the waist, squeezing her back to his chest and walked them over to one of the pool sofas and held her against him.

"Is that a promise?"

"Oh it's definitely a promise. We're gonna give you and Catherine a run for your money in the mommy, son department."

"Are you calling me a momma's boy?"

"I most certainly am babe. You're such a momma's boy." She reached a hand back and patted his cheek.

Olivia's hand came down and pushed his hands away when he started tickling her. She fidgeted on his lap, laughing loudly knowing that there was no one in a close distance to their suite. Giving in to her pleas, Fitz stopped his attack and brought his hands around her stomach, waiting for her breathing to go back to normal. Touching his cheek to hers, Fitz rested his chin on her shoulder, his grip on her tightening when she relaxed into his embrace, bringing one of her arms up to rest against his thick mane of hair.

"When do you want to have this momma's boy?" His voice was quiet at her ear, giving her as much time as she wanted to respond.

Olivia shrugged her shoulders, not really knowing the right answer to that question.

"I'm not really sure." She took a few deep breaths, enjoying the feel of his hands against her stomach, imagining herself swollen with his child. "What about you? Do you want to have a baby soon?"

"I want to have a baby with you as soon as you're ready. That doesn't have to be next week or next month, or even six months from now. When you're ready, I'll be ready."

Olivia turned sideways on his lap and brought her hands up to his face.

"I think I'm ready."

"You think you are?" He didn't want Olivia to feel pressured into doing anything she wasn't ready for. "You need to tell me what you're thinking, Livvie"

"I want to go off birth control and if it happens, it happens."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I don't want us to plan out anything specific because I don't want it to be a chore, but I don't want to be preventive anymore. Are you okay with that? It's your decision too Fitz."

"I'm more than okay with that, Livvie." He kissed her lips, and smiled brightly at the thought of them partially trying for a baby. "I like being allowed to get you pregnant"

She chuckled at his attempt to lighten the mood.

"I do want to go to my doctor and talk with her about us getting pregnant. I don't want another accident to happen again, and if there's anything I can do to…"

"Livvie, we will definitely go see your doctor, but there was nothing you did wrong. This time will be different though."

"I believe you."

Fitz couldn't help but capture her lips in his in a tender kiss. He knew that she needed a few minutes to herself, and removed himself from under her to check on the food.

The two of them ate dinner together before they swam for a bit and ended the night making love outside under the stars. After their lovemaking, Fitz admired her as she lay against his chest. Even with the humidity, the breeze cooled them off tremendously and they laid there, bare, holding each other.

"What kind of baby was Madison?"

Olivia lifted her head, and scooted further up his body, laying her head at the top of his chest, his lips resting on her forehead.  
"Beautiful."

"Well I know that already. I mean what kind of personality did she have?"

"She could've been better but she never had a chance. She fussed a lot as a baby because we moved around so much"

"You moved?"

"Not really moved, but if I went anywhere, she went along with me. When we left the hospital, Jake wasn't in town so Abby stayed with us for the first two days. She slept on the couch and helped me get some sleep at night until I needed to nurse and it was nice to have the company. When he got home that weekend, I knew she couldn't stand to be around him, and he made it clear that she wasn't needed anymore. He wasn't really a help at all, and I did everything. Anywhere I went, she was with me, so she never really got a good sleeping schedule or whatever, so she fussed a lot. I swore she was colicky, but it was just me and I know she could tell that I was always tense. I did my best, but it was such a stressful environment with Jake around, that it affected her."

"How long did it last?" he loved hearing about Madison as a baby and toddler, no matter how sick it made him to hear about the affect Jake had on her.

"Up until she was about four, five months old. Sadly she got used to the moving around and just learned to go with the flow. After that she hardly cried unless she was hungry. You've seen the pictures, Fitz, Madison was the biggest chunk of brown eyes, thighs and curls."

"She certainly was. You are the most perfect mother to her Livvie, and I can 't wait to have more kids together."

"Are you sure you wanna race me, babe? I'm kind of a pro on this thing now." Olivia yelled over the natural noises that filled the air and the jet ski's engine.

"Oh, I'm sure Livvie. I need to wipe that look off your face. My ego needs a bit of stroking, so let me kick your ass on this jet ski so you can work on apologizing baby."

They both took off, racing through the waters, laughing when they got close to each other, and purposely skidding across the water to splash one another. Fitz had done the sport before, so they both were able to rent the jet ski's and have at it in the water.

After their hour rental was up, they went to Cades Reef and snorkeled after taking a course and Olivia was sure to stay as close to Fitz as possible. She had never been snorkeling before, and was not too proud to admit how much it terrified her to be underwater with sea creatures. They swam for two hours under the water seeing colorful corals, grouper fish, and different kind of sting rays that scared the hell out of Olivia so much, that she made it clear to Fitz that she was done for the day.

After eating lunch at a nearby restaurant, they made their way into town to do a bit of shopping at the local markets. They planned to get gifts for Abby, Quinn and The Grants as a thank you for all the help with the wedding, and wanted to see what caught their eye as well. They'd planned to come back tomorrow with Madison, but wanted to get a head start.

"I'm thinking I should have set a budget for how much you can spend while we're here." Fitz said looking at the number of items Liv had either tossed over her shoulder, handed him, or held onto herself.

"Oh but honey, we're not gonna pay for it, I'm using my weekly allowance from my _Sugar Daddy_." She winked over her shoulder at him, knowing that he was only halfway kidding about monitoring her spending. They were blessed and didn't have to budget money to where they were pinching pennies, but they did budget out money for certain things and had a certain amount per month that went to savings, Madison's college fund, an emergency account and lastly to the ten year old boy in Zambia they now sponsored.

"A_ Sugar Daddy_?"

"Yea, didn't I mention that in the vows?"

"You think you're so funny Mrs. Grant, don't you?" he walked pass her, pinching her ass on the way and picked up the sea turtle necklace he had been eyeing, knowing that Madison would love it.

"If you're gonna worry about anyone milking our account dry, it's _YOU_ once your best girl arrives tomorrow. Three gifts Fitz. That's what we agreed on for her, and no more than that. So if you get that, she only has two left."

"No, the deal was that _she_ can pick out three things. This is something I'm getting for her. Back off woman and let me buy my kid something."

Returning the favor, Olivia walked up behind me and pinched his firm ass, "She's my kid too" Grabbing his hand, she pulled him towards the man collecting the money and they paid for their items before heading back to their suite.

"Baby, where are we going?"

"You promised you wouldn't keep asking questions, Livvie."

"Well that was before you dragged me out of bed right when I was falling asleep, and threw me in a taxi for twenty minutes." Olivia whispered, glancing up at the driver who would peek at them in the rearview mirror every few seconds.

"Baby, just trust me, okay?"

Fitz lifted her chin up so they were nose to nose and when she saw the serious look in his eyes, she nodded her head knowing that wherever they were going at this late hour would be perfect because he was with her.

It was a few minutes later that the taxi came to a stop and Fitz gave the man some folded up bills before grabbing a bag Olivia hadn't noticed before and getting out of the car behind her.

Deciding not to question him anymore, Olivia allowed him to take her hand and lead her down a beach that she could tell they hadn't visited yet. She expected him to stop once he found a spot, but Fitz continued to walk down the beach before they came upon two trails, one leading uphill and the second, downhill. Olivia felt Fitz's grip tighten, as he started to move downhill.

"Babe, it's nearly pitch black" Olivia said digging her heels into the mixture of sand and rock on the ground.

"It's lit once we get further down, trust me. And, I came prepared" he let go of her hand to reach into the bag on his shoulder and grab the flashlight before holding it up to his face. "I got ya covered babe."

Rolling her eyes, she took a hold of his hand again before letting herself follow him. The only sound Olivia could make out was what sounded like water running and a few minutes later she understood why. Just ahead of them, hundreds of feet up was a waterfall that fell into the beach off to the right.

"I've been waiting to bring you here all day Livvie."

"Yea?" She turned around and stared at him with a look that mirrored his own. His wife was being extremely coy.

"Hell yea" Fitz didn't waste any time knowing that it was late and they needed to get some rest for the big day tomorrow. He dropped the bag to the ground and took off the shorts and tank top that Olivia was wearing before allowing her to undress him. The two of them walked to waterfall, Fitz's arm behind his back as Olivia held tightly to it following him. He stuck his foot out and felt the warm water hit his skin at the perfect temperature and force. Turning around, Fitz walked backwards, bringing Olivia with him under the waterfall and watched her eyes close as the water washed over her body. Fitz pulled her closer until he was able to lean her head back to allow the stream to hit her hair as he feasted on her exposed neck.

Olivia brought one of her hands around to the top of his ass, bringing him closer while the other hand moved to his length that had become semi erect. The second her hand made contact with his member, Fitz bit down on her neck earning a moan from Olivia at the pain and pleasure. Bringing her head forward, Olivia sucked his lips into her mouth, jerking him off faster at the feeling of him extending in her hand. Fitz felt his knees buckle the second Olivia's right leg came to wrap around his hip and she guided his penis to rub against her folds, teasing the both of them.

"Wait baby" Olivia panted against his lips when she felt his hips push against hers, ready to penetrate. She slipped his length between her folds a few more times, knowing she wasn't fully ready for how quickly he had grown. Removing her hand from him, Fitz dropped to his knees and lifted one leg onto his shoulder before devouring her heat. She trembled against him, biting her lip and palming the back of his head further into her. Fitz flattened his tongue against her clit before creating a suction with his mouth, forcing Olivia to climax sooner than she planned. Not wasting any time, Fitz hooked her leg over his arm and stood up immediately plunging into her before she could come down from ecstasy. Olivia threw her head back in the water once again as her husband pounded into her core, not holding back by any means.

"Do you like that baby? Huh? Do I make your pussy feel good?" he leaned down and lifted her other leg on his arm as she immediately grabbed a hold of his shoulders. Seconds later she went silent, relishing in finding her zone as his hips moved in a circular motion, soft gasps escaping her mouth each time he thrust into her. Staying buried deep inside of her, Fitz moved his lips to hers, bringing her back to reality. She sought out his tongue lazily, nearly crying from the closeness she felt. It was seconds later that they both came together under the waterfall.

When Olivia started to get redressed, Fitz halted her movements, and placed their clothes in the bag before he grabbed her hand and walked them down the beach below.

"It's a good thing I trust my amazingly sexy husband because there's no one else I'd allow to lead me anywhere while we're both naked" Olivia said. She had one arm wrapped around the small of his back while the other wrapped around his front. Her right breast was pressed into his side while she covered her other as much as she could with her arm. They were both naked, and while Olivia tried to walk and hide against his body to be as modest as possible, Fitz walked with swagger as if he could care less about anyone seeing the two of them nude.

"Have you ever heard of Eden beach?"

Stopping in her tracks, Olivia's eyes widened and her smile grew nearly five times its normal size.

"The nudist beach? Fitz we are _not_ on Eden beach!" She looked around and in the distance could make out people clearly having sex on the beach and others lounging around naked as the day they were born.

"Even if you hadn't just pounded me nearly to death, there's no way in hell I'm having sex on the beach, Fitz. Sand in your ass crack is not fun."

"Just sit here with me, big mouth." He leaned his head down and captured her lips in his before sitting her down and pulling her into his lap.

"This is kinda freaky isn't it? I've never even imagined going to a nude beach. I wonder why people are so attracted to places like this?"

"I think it's because places like this allow you to be at your most barest with the ones you love. Not that it's something that I would want to do every day, but the fact that I can sit here with you right now, completely bare in public is kinda nice. It's weird as hell.."

"Definitely weird as hell…. But you're right. It is nice."

She kissed him softly before resting her head against his chest.

"I'm glad we had this time together. I love being your wife Fitz, and I promise I'll do everything I can to keep our family happy."

"I promise the same thing Livvie and I'm glad we had this time together too…. And tomorrow all of us will be together."

"And it's gonna be great." Olivia said looking up at him.

"And it's gonna be great.

Waking up Wednesday morning, Fitz immediately noticed that his wife was no longer in bed with him. Climbing out of the bed, he went to use the bathroom and could make out sounds coming from the kitchen and once he brushed his teeth, and washed his face, he made his way out. He could hear her turn the music up, and when she came into his sight, he smiled seeing her dancing around in his linen shirt he'd been wearing yesterday. Her feet were bare, the curls were tight, coiled and nearly wild on her head, but she looked breathtaking. He noticed she had pancake mix in a bow, fresh strips of bacon in the frying pan and fruit she was chopping near the sink.

Being lost in her own world, Olivia couldn't help but move her hips to the relaxed rhythm of what she called her current favorite song, and when she finally looked up and saw her husband, she gestured for him to come closer before she grabbed his hands and guided them to her waist before circling hers around his neck.

_**There was a time when I would have believed them  
If they told me you could not come true  
Just love's illusion  
But then you found me and everything changed  
And I believe in something again**_

Olivia continued to sing, wanting him to hear the words she felt were completely written for the two of them. She stopped their movements, and pushed up closer to his ear, singing the next verse. 

_**My whole heart  
Will be yours forever  
This is a beautiful start  
To a lifelong love letter**_

_She went back down on flat feet, and Fitz couldn't help but smile at the words of the song and pressed a_ long kiss to her lips. Olivia continued to kiss him through the chorus, letting the words speak for themselves, before leaning back to sing him the hook of the song.  
_**We are not perfect  
We'll learn from our mistakes  
And as long as it takes  
I will prove my love to you**_

****_**I am not scared of the elements  
I am under-prepared, but I am willing**_

"This is my favorite line baby"

_**And even better  
I get to be the other half of you**_**  
**_**  
Tell the world that we finally got it all right  
I choose you  
Yeah  
I will become yours and you will become mine  
I choose you  
I choose you  
I choose you**_

Fitz listened to the music fade out and noticed that it immediately started back up again and smiled at Olivia. He lifted her off of her feet and swung her around, feeling incredibly lucky to have her choose him.

"I love being the other half of you, Livvie"

"Are we here now Uncle Boss? Where are mommy and daddy?" Madison asked as Harrison held tightly to her hand along with a carry-on bag of entertainment that Abby had packed for her that morning. Harrison and Madison had slept at Olivia and Fitz's house and Abby came over that morning to pack Madison's bags and drop them at the airport.

"They're probably waiting for us shorty. Remember I told you that already though." Harrison rolled his eyes being extremely proud of himself for the patience he had with his niece. They had gotten up at five-thirty that morning to get packed and ready for their eight o'clock flight. Madison was full of energy throughout breakfast and Abby assured him that she would crash on the plane, but she hadn't slept a wink. It was only five short minutes before the plan had landed that he noticed her start to doze off. He was pretty impressed with the fact that she didn't whine like kids did in the movies, nor did she freak out or complain about her ears hurting. Instead during the four hour flight, Madison asked her uncle every question imaginable from "Why do the people wave the orange sticks in the air" to "When will I see my mommy and daddy." The question she asked the most was "Are we there yet?"

"Can we get off now?"

"As soon as these people start moving we will get off, okay?" He laughed and calmed down knowing that she was finally sleepy and excited to see her parents after nearly four days. Lifting her into his arms, he grabbed their bags in his other hand and walked them both off the plane and towards baggage claim. Harrison continued to carry her through the sea of people, not wanting to make her wait any longer to see her parents. He stepped onto the escalator and as he reached the bottom, he looked around for the familiar faces and the second his eyes locked on his sisters, he smiled and walked towards the pair. Seeing that Madison hadn't noticed her parents walking towards him, Harrison stopped walking and squatted down, letting her out of his arms.

"Hey shorty, look over there"

Madison turned her head and Fitz and Olivia smiled at the sight of her face lighting up when she saw them.

"Mommy! Daddy!" She moved as fast as her little legs could carry her and ran towards them, being engulfed by her mother's arms first.

"Baby, I missed you so much" Olivia kissed her face repeatedly, before she felt a nudge from Fitz who was clearly itching to see the little girl as well. Turning slightly, she allowed Fitz to take her from her arms before going over to see Harrison.

"Daddy! I missed you so much" she repeated her mother's words, and hugged his neck before pulling back and kissing him soundly on the mouth. "Can we have our 'acation now, daddy?"

"Yes, now that you're here we can have our 'acation" he mimicked in a high-pitched voice similar to hers.

"Our _Vacation_" Olivia corrected walking closer to them with Harrison alongside her.

Madison leaned out of Fitz' arms surprising everyone and clung to her mother's frame when she accepted her from Fitz.

"I missed you a lot mommy." Madison hugged her tightly and buried her face in the crook of her neck before her hand began playing with the necklace Olivia wore.

"Awe, baby mommy missed you too"

"I don't want you to have 'acations without me anymore" she spoke quietly against her mother's ear and Olivia wasn't sure if Harrison or Fitz heard her at all.

"Did you have fun with Poppy and Grammy?"

When Madison refused to say anything else, Olivia looked to Harrison who shrugged his shoulders.

"They said she did fine. I know Abby went to check on her the day after ya'll left but she did fine. She's probably tired, she hasn't napped since I woke her up at like five and had just started to doze up right as we landed.

"I'm sure she just needs a good nap." Fitz chimed in, moving closer and gently stroking Madison's chin. He expected her to smile or at least acknowledge him, but she didn't.

Accepting that Madison obviously needed her mom, Fitz gestured for Olivia to wait while they went to wait for the luggage to start coming.

"So how was the flight with an almost four year old?" Fitz asked taking in Harrison's drained stance.

Harrison didn't speak for a couple of seconds, but his facial expression said it all.

"Well let's just say if I don't utter a direct word to your kid over lunch, don't take it personal."

Fitz laughed extremely loudly, earning looks from others waiting around them. He glanced back at his girls for a second. Olivia still had Madison wrapped in her arms as she now swayed back and forth while she rubbed her back gently. Fitz could make out Olivia's lips moving and wondered if she was singing a song to lull their little girl to sleep.

"I'm assuming she talked your ear off?"

"That's an understatement man. Seriously, how the hell can someone so small that has barely any life experience have so much to say?"

"I often wonder the exact same thing, but she's a spitfire."

"The thing is, everything she was saying pretty much made sense. Man, she's not even four yet- what the hell are ya'll teaching her?"

Fitz smiled prideful thinking of his little girl. "She is just kind of brilliant thanks to her mother and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Yea, yea" Harrison waved his hand, then let out a sigh of relief when the carousel started moving, alerting them that the luggage had arrived. "It's about time."

"Did Liv or Abby leave out a certain suitcase for you to use?"

"Oh, just wait for it. You will _definitely_ be able to tell which suitcase belongs to your kid. I'm glad I was able to check them because there was no way in _hell_ I was rolling those around the airport."

Spotting what looked to be his suitcase, Harrison lifted a bag and after reading the tag, he placed it back down and kept looking.

"Oh gosh." Again, Fitz laughed loudly, immediately noticing two small suitcases, one light blue with Elsa on it, and the other a light purple with Anna. He continued to laugh as he lifted the small bags off and walked towards Olivia, followed by Harrison who was rolling his own large suitcase behind him.

"How much did you pack Harrison" Fitz chuckled at the extremely large bag he brought for the two day trip.

Smirking in his brother-in-laws direction, Harrison knew they'd ask about his large suitcase.

"I kinda extended the ticket ya'll got me to Monday, and paid the difference. I figured I'll see how things turn out and if I need to get a new hotel room, then I will, but I'll play it by ear."

Fitz noticed him checking out any and all females around him since he'd spotted them on the escalator.

"I honestly don't think this island is ready for Harrison Pope."

"You damn right they ain't."

"Oh wait, did you remember to bring her car seat?"

"Oh damn, yea, hold on."

Fitz stopped and waited for him to come back with Madison's seat that he carried under his arm.

"What are those? You brought her two suitcases?" Olivia asked when they were close enough that she didn't have to raise her voice.

"These are the suitcases the grand-parentals gave me when they dropped the little lady off yesterday. She had already packed one full of snacks and food for Madison in case you guys couldn't find anything she was familiar with here. She's got her extra epi-pen in there with the food, and the other is in the carry-on bag. But man, I looked in the bag and she even packed that fake peanut butter yall use, **AND **jelly, **AND** bread."

Harrison laughed animatedly, bending at the waste, his dimples immediately popping out.

"Shut up Harry, that was sweet of her. We haven't paid much attention to the snacks they have here and you know how she gets. It's still like pulling teeth getting her to try new foods sometimes.

"But the suitcases, Livvie." Fitz started, agreeing that his parents could sometime go overboard when it came to buying things for Madison, but he honestly had no room to talk.

"Hey, I learned my lesson when it comes to questioning what your parents buy for Madison. I swear dad all but chewed me out the first time I tried to tell them they didn't need to buy her something new every time she came over. Now I just say thanks and figure I better get used to it now. Imagine how they'll be when we have an actual baby."

Harrison chimed in at this, "All I know is there will be no reason for me to buy a baby shower gift cause The Grants got it covered, and I ain't even mad. Now can we get some lunch or what?"

They went up to one of the cabs that were parked outside of the airport and while Fitz hooked Madison's seat up, Olivia stayed rocking Madison as Harrison and their driver loaded the trunk with their bags.

"Oh gosh, she got her initials on them" Olivia laughed quietly seeing the large letters "M.O.G." printed on the bottom of the suitcases. She loved that they already considered her to be Grant regardless of the legal paperwork not yet done with processing.

"What are gonna do with your grandparents Mads?" she asked more to herself, laying a soft kiss on her little girl's head.

"Is she out?"

Fitz stood next to the open car door after strapping the seat behind the driver's seat, and held his hands out for Madison.

"Yea. Harry, is it okay if we just get you checked in, then we can all grab some food at our suite?"

She handed Madison off and let Fitz strap her in before she went to the other side and scooted to the middle seat beside her daughter's sleeping form.

"That's cool."

An hour later, Madison slept in the king bed while Fitz and Olivia sat out on the patio near the pool enjoying their lunch and the weather. Olivia had opened the double doors in the master bedroom so that they were able to keep an eye on the sleeping child. Harrison had sneakily opted out of having lunch with them and stayed at his hotel on the Antigua Island, promising to do lunch tomorrow. Fitz threw burgers on the grill for the two of them to eat, while Olivia organized the food from Madison's suitcase knowing her little girl would be hungry once she woke up.

She dug through her clothes and pulled out a new swimsuit she figured Abby had gotten for her. She thought the turquoise color was gorgeous and found a new dress in the same color just under the swimsuit. Between Abby and Catherine, one of them had bought her daughter new clothes as if she needed more.

When they were done eating, it was nearing three in the afternoon and Olivia decided to wake Madison up herself. They only had two more days on the island with her and wanted to take advantage of their time together. The first thing they wanted to do was get her in the water of their private pool before they took her to the beach later on.

Olivia walked to the bed beside Madison and could see the tiny baby hairs on her forehead had curled up as she was sweating during her nap. Easing her hands under her arms, Olivia lifted Madison into her arms and walked outside with the little girl.

"It's weird to see her like this" Fitz spoke from inside the pool watching Olivia walked towards the pools' ledge with Madison and her swimsuit. Sitting down, Olivia started waking Madison up.

"Madison…. Baby, can you wake up for mommy?" she lifted her chin up and started tickling her a bit. "Are you hungry? You wanna swim?"

Madison lifted her head and eyed Olivia. Her eyes were first angry, then Olivia noticed them softening almost immediately when their eyes connected.

"Hi Mommy!" she latched onto Olivia's neck and was instantly awake. "I went on a plane with Uncle Boss and we came to see you and daddy on 'acation!"

Both Olivia and Fitz smiled at the little girl's mood and was glad that she seemed fine after the near three hour nap.

"I know baby." Olivia smiled and turned her around on her lap to face Fitz in the water. "Did you say hi to daddy?"

"Hi best girl" he moved closer to them and brought wet hands to her cheeks, gently pinching them.

"Hi daddy, I swim too?"

"Just give me a second to put your hair up, then we can get your swimsuit on.

Olivia pulled the elastic from her wrist and combed her fingers through Madison's hair and when she had a good grip on the thick curls, she put it in a high top knot and stood her up next to her.

"Fitz can you get the floaties please, they're in the bag of stuff we got yesterday."

He nodded before hopping out of the pool and wrapping a towel around his waist to not get water everywhere, and running inside. When he came back out Olivia had stripped Madison's clothes off and was helping the little girl put her swimsuit on.

"What is that?" Fitz had been getting in the water, but stopped short when Olivia put what looked to be a sports bra on Madison.

"What does it look like babe? It's a swimsuit."

"It might be a swimsuit, but it's not Madison's swimsuit. She's not wearing that Livvie, it's too grown up and she's a little girl." His voice was full of finality, and Olivia knew he wouldn't cave on it.

Olivia rolled her eyes at his explanation but found it endearing nonetheless. "Hold on Mads." Olivia stood up and ran inside to dig through the suitcase for the one-piece she had spotted before she came back with the purple swimsuit.

"Toots, let's put on your purple one okay?"

When she happily agreed, Olivia changed her suit and the little girl jumped up and down in place.

"Can I jump in daddy?"

"Toots, you need to get your floaties on first."

"I wanna jump on daddy first" she said excitedly.

Knowing that Madison could produce a meltdown at any moment, Olivia agreed and the little girl took a few steps back before breaking out in a full run and jumping off the side of the pool into Fitz' awaiting arms.

"Daredevil on our hands here" He looked at Olivia shocked that Madison actually launched herself into his arms. Most kids would stop at the ledge, then jump, but his little girl had run as fast as her little feet could carry her and jumped right at him without any fear. Fitz feared how brave she would be at the beach tomorrow.

"Fitz, are you sure want to eat here?" Oliva asked as they made tier way towards the entrance, each swinging one of Madison's arms.

"I'm positive Livvie. It would be a sin to not dine here while we have the chance. Besides, it's in the hotel so we don't have to worry about Maddie's car seat. Maybe we can go for a walk on the beach after."

"But this place isn't exactly the type of place we would normally take Maddie."

"Relax babe. I'm sure they have something on the menu that she can eat. I think she'll enjoy it. We did after all did dress her up for this." He said as he looked down at Madison who looked so adorable in her white sundress with powder blue flowers and her white sandals.

For dinner, Fitz had decided to treat the two most important girls in his life to dinner at The Verandah. The hotel's restaurant was known for its beautiful view of the crystal blue waters which during sunset provided a romantic backdrop for the establishment's already intimate setup. The five star international cuisine was guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds.

That is unless you were a three year old with a very picky palette.

When they walked into the restaurant Fitz was surprised that they were seated so quickly. Apparently making reservations under Dr. &amp; Mrs. Grant had afforded them the VIP treatment. He quickly began making a mental list of all of the places he had to try this tactic with once they returned home. He had to admit, Dr. &amp; Mrs. Grant did have a very appealing ring to it.

"Thank you for dining with us this evening. My name is Stacy and I'll be your server this evening. May I start you all off with something to drink?"

"I want strawberry milk!" Madison yelled, far louder than she intended."

"Maddie baby, we have to use our indoor voices, ok?" Olivia whispered while shooting an apologetic glance at their server.

"Ok mommy.." She responded as she began swinging her tiny legs in her chair. Liv reached into her survival bag and pulled out a coloring book and some crayons and placed them in front of Mads while Fitz ordered a glass of Shiraz for Liv, and a draft beer for himself. Once Madison was happily coloring a page from her Sofia the First coloring book, Olivia picked up her menu and began running her finger down the menu as she pondered what she wanted.

A few minutes later Stacy returned to their table with their drinks. "Are you ready to order?" She asked as she looked down at Madison's coloring with a smile. For a 3 year old she was doing pretty good with staying mostly inside of the lines.

Fitz looked to his wife who was still clearly pondering her choices and knew she'd need a few more minutes to decide – if she could decide. Fitz knew his wife and he knew that she took almost as long picking out a meal, as she did picking out her shoes.

"We're going to need a few more minutes. But while I have you here, I was wondering if our meals could be prepared special... Separately I mean. Our daughter has a peanut allergy so we have to be cautious that her food doesn't come into contact with peanuts or peanut oils. I've noticed quite a few items so far that are prepared with one or the other." Fitz said earning him an appraising smile from Olivia. No matter where they were he always seemed to place Madison's best interest first. She simply couldn't have asked for a better husband or father than he.

"Oh… Ummm…. I can definitely do that for you. We definitely wouldn't want anything to happen to this little beauty." She said as Madison popped her had up as if she knew the server was talking about her. Stacy walked back towards her other tables leaving the family to ponder their choices.

"Ok Mads, what do you want to eat?" Fitz asked as he leaned over and showed his daughter the menu as if she could read it. Olivia bit the inside of her cheek to refrain from laughing when Madison ran her finger down the menu as she had a few moments before.

"Ummm… I want…." She began seriously pondering her dinner decision. She smiled brightly as her decision had become final, and Fitz silently prayed she wouldn't ask for what he should have known was coming. "Chicken nuggets daddy." She said proud of herself for choosing way faster than her indecisive mother had.

Fitz winced as Olivia shot him a knowing look just before she quickly buried her head behind her own menu. She tried to tell him this wasn't a Madison friendly restaurant, but he wouldn't listen. He chose the restaurant, he gets to break her heart.

"Mads, they don't have nuggets here."

"Ok then pizza?" She quickly replied, expecting her father to say yes.

"I don't think you would like this type of pizza, Mads."

Madison lowered her gaze and huffed as she realized she was running out of options. She sat quietly for a moment before her head popped up, and she gazed in her daddy's eyes. "Macaroni and cheese please!" She shouted, which was quickly followed by Olivia shushing her.

Fitz looked at the menu and saw macaroni and cheese. His smile quickly turned into a frown when he saw that it was cooked with lobster. "Sorry Mads. How about mommy and I order and we'll share our food with you?" Fitz asked knowing that Madison would sometimes want whatever they ate.

Madison looked at her mother whose head was now peeking over her menu. Olivia winked at her daughter, causing Madison to flash a teeth bearing smile. She knew mommy would take care of it. "Okay daddy." She said as she turned and faced Fitz. A few moments later, the server returned to take their orders and menus.

"Ummm I'll have the… Mediterranean chicken." Olivia said, still unsure if that was what she wanted.

"And I'll have the chicken Marsala and a side of the barley risotto with peas and carrots. Oh and an extra plate for this little one." Fitz added as he handed the server their menus.

"Okay, I'll have that right up for you." Stacy responded as she took their menus and made her way back to the kitchen.

While they were waiting for their food, the couple exchanged loving glances while Madison attempted to color. After a few minutes, Madison slammed her crayon down, snapping Olivia and Fitz out of their trance.

"What's wrong baby girl?" Olivia asked as Madison sat in her chair with her arms folded. Her gaze was aimed at her picture, and neither Liv nor Fitz could gauge what was wrong.

"It's too dark in here. I can't find the grass green." Madison huffed as she pointed to her picture. Olivia looked down at Madison's artwork and noticed the grass was colored in six different shades of green. She picked up the box of 96 crayons, chastising herself for not throwing just a handful in rather than the full box, and fished out the correct green, and handed it to her daughter.

"Thank you mommy but I don't want to color anymore. Can I play with your hair?" Madison asked as her tiny hand was already making its way towards Olivia's locks.

"How about later tonight sweetie. We don't want my hair to get everywhere - that's yucky." she said as she gently grabbed Madison's hand and kissed her tiny knuckles.

"Okay mommy. Daddy can I play a game on your iPad?" Madison asked with the poutiest lips Fitz had ever seen.

"Sure baby." He responded as he quickly retrieved his iPad from Liv's bag that was positioned between them. He handed Madison the electronic, making sure to avoid Olivia's gaze. He knew she was going to say something later about how he always caved in to Madison's every whim, but his baby girl's happiness was worth it. Once Madison was settled, Fitz turned his attention back to his wife.

"So, are you having a good time?" He asked as he reached across the round table and pulled her hand into his.

"I am. I'm glad you suggested we eat here. I did really want to come." She responded as she laced their fingers together. It wasn't long before their sever arrived with their food.

"Okay so we have the Mediterranean chicken for you." She said as she handed Olivia her plate. "And we have the chicken Marsala with a side of the Barley risotto with peas and carrots for you and an extra plate." She said as she handed Fitz his meal and an extra plate for Madison. "I'll be back to check on you all shortly. Enjoy your meal."

Once Stacy had left the area, Fitz took hold of Madison's plate. He placed some of his food on her plate, and set it in front of her. Madison looked down at the plate and back at her father as if he had sprouted and extra head. The creamy dish which was loaded with peas and carrots may have seemed appetizing to Fitz, but not to Madison.

"Is everything okay Mads?" Fitz asked as he noticed the little girl pushing the food around on her plate.

"Daddy, I don't like it." She responded with her nose scrunched up.

"You haven't even tried it Mads ." He answered, urging her to just try the food.

"But daddy! It looks like when Jason got sick and threw up in class and Miss Quinn had to have the Jupiter come clean it up." Madison retorted. Olivia sat back, and decided to allow Fitz to handle this for just a little while longer. It really shouldn't have been funny, but she couldn't help but to find the humor in Fitz finally being on the receiving end of one of Madison's food tantrums.

"Madison, just try it. I promise you'll like it." Fitz pleaded as he took a forkful of the food and held it to Madison's mouth.

They began a back and forth with the fork full of food. Fitz would bring it to her tightly pursed lips, and Madison would move her head in the other direction. "You know Mads, when I was a little boy I always ate my vegetables when my mommy told me to. Now I'm a big strong daddy."

Fitz said as he was determined to get Madison to at least try the food.

"But I'm a girl and mommy didn't tell me to eat it." Madison retorted as he continued struggling against her father's persistence. When he realized she wasn't going to cooperate,Fitz looked up to his wife for help. Deciding that her husband had suffered enough, she reached into her survival bag, and pulled out a sun butter and jelly sandwich.

The look on Fitz's face as she pulled the sandwich container out of her bag and placed it in front of their daughter was priceless. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and began chewing on it to refrain from falling into a fit of laughter.

"You've had that sandwich in your bag the entire time and you are just pulling it out now?" Fitz fired out as quietly as he could. Olivia could tell by the look of frustration that marred his features that she was in trouble. Still she couldn't help but find the whole situation hilarious.

"I'm sorry baby. I didn't want to say I told you so, so I tried to let you handle it for as long as I could. Besides, that's what you and Harrison get for laughing at your mother for thinking ahead." She responded as she looked over to Madison who was happily eating her sandwich.

Fitz opened and closed his mouth a few times in attempts to say something but he truly was at a loss for words. He had brought this on himself, this much he knew. But for his wife to have food and withhold it just to teach him a lesson was wrong. Even he had to admit it was a little funny, but it was still wrong nonetheless. He leaned over to his wife so only she could hear his next words.

"I promise that you will pay for this dearly, Mrs. Grant."

"Only if you eat your vegetables, mama's boy."

"You will pay doubly for that."

"Is that a threat Mr. Grant?"

"That's a promise. Eat before your food gets cold."

Olivia had to admit that he wasn't so sure about her decision when she first placed her order, but as she bit into the tender chicken that was bursting with flavor, she knew she made the right choice. "Fitz this is so good. You have to try it." She moaned as she held her fork up to his mouth. Fitz accepted the bite and had to agree that although it looked odd, it was definitely delicious.

Madison watched her parents feeding one another and suddenly felt left out. "Mommy I want to try too." She didn't like that her mommy hadn't even offered her any. Olivia glanced to Fitz who looked as if he had just been slapped. Her food looked far weirder than his did.

Olivia held a forkful of food up to Madison's lips and was shocked when she opened wide and ate the food. "More mommy, please!" She cried causing Fitz to throw his hands up in defeat.

"What just happened here?" He asked as Madison was now devouring more of Liv's food than he was.

"Well, what can I say? Guess she is a mommy's girl after all, momma's boy."

"We'll see about that." Fitz grumbled under his breath as he bit into his food. They ate their meals in comfortable silence, only stopping every now and then to laugh at something adorable Madison had done.

When they had finished their dinner, Stacy returned to take their plates, and offered them a dessert menu. When Fitz saw Madison's eyes light up, he knew he couldn't say no. After perusing the dessert menu, both he and Liv settled on the caramel apple pie, while Madison wanted ice cream. Stacy took their menus and returned shortly with their desserts.

"This is as big as my head! Look mommy!" Madison squealed in awe of the ice cream Sunday-sans nuts- that had been placed before her.

"Let mommy and daddy help you eat that munchkin." Fitz replies being completely aware of what happens when a toddler is given too much sugar. Both parents took a huge chunk of Madison's ice cream and placed it on top of their pie, leaving her a portion more suitable for a small child.

Olivia was halfway through her dessert when she noticed Madison's head bobbing up and down, her eyes doing the same. Between the lack of sleep and swimming lessons with daddy, Madison was ready to pass out.

"Fitz…. Look" Liv said as she motioned over to Madison. Fitz couldn't help but whip out his phone so he could take a picture of his daughter fighting to keep her eyes open and her head up. Just as Fitz snapped the picture, Madison plopped face first into her ice cream. The cold from the ice cream startled her awake, and Madison began to cry as she reached out for Fitz to help her. Olivia reached for a wet wipe out of her bag, and was immediately by Fitz's side cleaning the ice cream off of the startled girl's face. Liv looked at with a knowing look and Fitz he knew there was only one thing he could say in this moment.

"Check please!"

The following morning Fitz woke up with a tiny foot in his face. He was pretty sure they were all laying in the same direction when they went to sleep the night before, so he had no idea how Madison's foot ended up there by his head. As he looked down at his daughter, he laughed as he realized at some point she had to have been laying on her back, however, she had twisted her torso so that her right arm was draped over Liv's thigh. Just like the night before, he reached for his phone and snapped a picture, before climbing out of bed to perform his morning ritual.

After his teeth were brushed and he felt somewhat refreshed, Fitz decided to order room service and have an easy morning before they visited the beach. He stalked the door, trying to catch the bellhop before e knocked and woke Madison up. Every minute of sleep she could get was precious and he refused to allow anyone to disturb it and risk her waking up cranky. He heard the sounds of the cart coming, and met the bellhop in the hallway to collect their food.

Once he tipped the man, he made his way inside with the food, opting to leave the squeaky cart outside. When he collected the last plate, Fitz nodded to the man and watched him retreat down the hall with the tray.

It wasn't until he had everything set up that he woke Madison and Liv for the morning. After a few minutes of coaxing them both awake, they climbed out of the comfortable bed. The family enjoyed a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit salad, and were now ready to start their day.

"Madison, let's get your teeth brushed, and then you can choose a swimsuit to put on." Olivia said as she began cleaning up remnants of breakfast. Thankfully she hadn't put the two piece swimsuit Abby had bought for Madison back in the bag, as she couldn't even fathom the look on Fitz's face if he saw his three year old in a bikini.

Olivia helped her brush her teeth, before she lifted Madison from the counter top and placed her on her feet.

"Mommy, I put my swimsuit on by myself."

"Okay, go grab it and if you need help, let me know. Your bag is on daddy's side of the bed."

Exiting the master bedroom, Olivia made her way to the breakfast table and started to straighten up their mess from breakfast. While she was cleaning off the table, Fitz closed in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Good morning Mrs. Grant." He greeted as he placed a tender kiss just beneath her ear.

"Good morning yourself, Mr. Grant." She responded as she turned in his arms. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, which Fitz was eager to deepen, that is until Madison came running into the room.

"I'm ready!" Madison boomed as she made her way towards her parents.

"Madison, where did you find that bathing suit?" Fitz asked, a look of confusion and horror covering his face as he looked at his daughter who was sporting a purple polka dot two piece bathing suit.

"Grammy bought it for me!" Madison stated proudly. "Isn't it pretty daddy?" She twirled for emphasis, knowing her daddy wasn't too happy with what she was wearing. She honestly didn't understand the problem. It wasn't like she was wearing school clothes to the beach. That much she knew was a no-no.

"Where did she get that, honey?" Fitz asked through gritted teeth.

"From your mother, dear. I honestly didn't see it when I went through the bag. I must've overlooked it." Olivia didn't even recall seeing a purple polka dot anything in Madison's suitcase.

"She is NOT wearing that to the beach." He spat in the harshest voice he could muster, quietly, so only Olivia could hear him. He knew it wasn't Liv's fault as she hadn't even packed the bag, but this bikini argument wasn't supposed to present itself for at least another decade.

"Well if you don't want her to wear it, handle it, daddy." She said just as quietly as he had, except with a smile on her face knowing that Madison was watching their every move.

Liv broke out of Fitz's grasp and went to collect her own swimsuit to change into, leaving Fitz to deal with their very opinionated three year old. If he didn't want her to wear it, then he would have to explain why she couldn't wear it. It wasn't like she was a developed girl. She was only 3, but, being the overprotective father he was Fitz simply forbade two pieces on his daughter.

Once Olivia walked into the bedroom, Fitz knelt down in front of Madison, and winced as she was already beginning to pout. "Madison, I need you to change into your one piece bathing suit. I can get one for you out of your suitcase. He said as he watched her stare him down, her hands fidgeting with the little strings on the bottoms.

"But I like this one daddy. It's pretty for me." She asked as the tears were already welling up inside of her eyes.

"It's very pretty Madison, but you are too young to wear a two piece anything to the beach."

"But I'm not too young daddy. It fits, see?" She said as she turned around and let her father see that she was wearing the bathing suit.

"Yes Maddie, it does fit. But it's inappropriate for a little girl to wear." He inwardly grimaced wondering what face his daughter pulled on his mother for her to buy the atrocious, inappropriate clothing.

"What's Ina-propa-mit?"

"It means something that you should not do, even if you want to."

"Oh. So can I wear it daddy? Pleeeeeeaaaasssseee?"

"No baby. This is something daddy really doesn't want you to do, so I need you to listen to me, okay?"

Madison folded her arms and began to pout in the way she knew would get Fitz to cave. As much as he hated seeing Madison in a bikini, he hated seeing her pout even more. He was mere seconds from caving in, when Liv emerged from the bathroom wearing a one piece white swimsuit with a mesh stomach. Seeing his wife in a one piece when he knew she had many bikinis made him frown for a moment, but he quickly shot a look of thanks as she motioned to Madison.

"Look Mads, mommy is wearing a one piece too. Don't you want to be like mommy?" Fitz asked praying this would end soon.

"I _do _wanna be just like mommy, daddy!" Madison beamed brightly as she looked at her mother.

"And doesn't mommy look beautiful?"

"Yes!"

"So how about you go change into a different swimsuit, while daddy changes as well?"

Madison looked up at her dad and smiled. "Okay daddy!" She said as she ran to grab the one piece Sofia The First swimsuit from the suitcase and started to change. Pulling it up halfway to her stomach, she walked over to Olivia so she could help her pull it the rest of the way up and put her arms through the holes. She walked the little girl out into the living room and handed her the Ipad to play a game on it for just a few minutes before they left.

When she heard Fitz come out of the bathroom, Olivia walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "What was that for?" He asked as after she placed several chaste kisses on his lips.

"I heard you talking to Mads while I was changing. I must say you handled that perfectly. I only intervened a bit cause I didn't want her to sass you and get into too much trouble before our day started."

"Oh really? You like the way I handled that?"

"Yes, really." She grinned while nodding her head.

"Well Mrs. Grant, since I'm handling things today, there is one issue I'd like to address."

"And what pray tell would that be Mr. Grant?"

Fitz allowed his hands to roam up and down Liv's waist and couldn't help the smirk that appeared as she shivered in his arms. He leaned in and kissed her neck, before placing his lips to her ears. "Since we're on the swimsuit issue, why aren't you in that sexy two piece that I know you have stashed in the drawer?"

Liv pulled back a little and looked into Fitz's eyes as she responded "That would be inappropriate. Don't you think?"

Fitz pulled her back into his chest as he growled "Then let's be inappropriate."

Before Liv had a chance to respond, Madison came running out of the living room having forgotten about the IPad once she heard her daddy's voice.

"Look daddy, I weared it." She said looking to him for complete approval.

He saw the look Olivia gave him and knew she was right.

"And you look beautiful Mads."

He scooped her up in his arms before grabbing her sundress to throw over her suit, Olivia doing the same and once their shoes were on, Fitz grabbed their bags and they headed down to the beach.

"Madison hold still and let me finish putting your sunscreen on."

"But mommy, it's stinky!" Madison whined as her mother was covering her from head to toe with the lotion.

"No sunscreen, no water time with daddy." She replied with finality in her voice. There was no way she was dealing with a sunburned 3 year old. Upon hearing her mother's threat, Madison sat still and allowed Liv to finish applying the sunscreen to her body. Once she was finished, she twisted Madison's hair in a high bun and secured it with a hair tie.

"Okay daddy, you're next." Olivia said as she patted Madison's backside, signaling she was finished.

"Aww mommy, do I have to? It's stinky!" Fitz retorted making sure to pout just as Madison had a few moments before.

"Fitzgerald, sunscreen or you don't get water time with Maddie. And…." She threatened.

"And?" he questioned, wondering what she thought she had up her sleeve.

"And I'm calling your mother." she shot out with a smug grin. He knew she had him right then.

Fitz looked to Liv, then to Madison who was giggling hysterically with her face cupped in her hands. "Fine." He pouted as he moved to sit between Olivia's thighs so she could apply sunscreen to his back. When he was covered with the stinky lotion, Liv stood and began to make her way towards the water.

"Uhm… No.. Where are you going?" Fitz asked as he looked over to his wife.

"I'm getting in the water. Let's go." Liv responded as if Fitz had lost his mind.

"Madison, tell mommy like she told us…"

"No sunscreen, no water time mommy!" Madison replied with a giggle.

"Yeah but you two will burn, I won't" Olivia fired back thinking she had won this argument.

"Well babe, whether you burn or not, heavy exposure to the sun can still cause damage to your skin. As a doctor, I know these things. So, sunscreen or no water time with daddy and Maddie."

Liv looked at Madison who was doubled over on their blanket in a fit of laughter. "Fine." She spat as she moved to sit between Fitz's thighs. When he had finished lotioning up her body, Fitz decided to be smart as placed a dab of the sunscreen on her nose.

"Mommy looks funny, daddy!" Madison laughed as she took in the white glob on her mother's nose. Before she had a chance to retaliate, Fitz jumped up and placed Madison's floaters on her arms, and carried her into the water.

"Daddy can you throw me in the water?" Madison asked as she was already trying to leap out of Fitz's arms.

"How about we work on your swimming first. Then we'll think about tossing you in the water." Fitz replied as he held onto Madison for dear life. The truth of it was that Fitz was more worried about Madison growing up and not needing him, than the fear of her being hurt or scared by him tossing her into the water. She was growing up so fast, and her dare devil like nature was proof of that.

"Okay Mads, do you remember what to do?" Fitz asked as he laid her body across his arms.

"Kick and splash!" Madison replied as he began forcefully moving her arms and legs against the water.

"I'm going to lower you into the water, then I'm going to hold your hands. While I help you move your arms, I want you to kick your legs one at a time, okay?"

Fitz slowly lowered Madison into the water, and halted as she squealed when the water soaked her swimsuit. "Daddy it's cold!" She cried she began kicking her legs in protest.

"Here, maybe this will help." Liv said as she scooped Madison up in her arms and placed her legs around her waist. "Okay Maddie, when I say three, we are going to go under the water and pop right back up. I want you to hold your nose and close your eyes when I say three okay?"

"We're gonna jump in the water together?"

"Something like that. Are you ready… One… Two…. Three hold your nose!"

Madison pinched her nose together and closed her eyes tightly as Liv dunked their bodies into the water. Just as she promised they popped back up almost immediately, and to Fitz's surprise Madison was laughing. "Again! Again mommy again!"

"Okay Mads, one more time. One… Two… Three!"This time when they did it Fitz joined in with them and when they popped up to the surface, all three of them broke out in laughter. Once it seemed Madison was comfortable with the water's temperature, Fitz resumed their swimming lessons, until Liv called them out of the water to rehydrate and eat. They spent the next few hours at the beach splashing and having fun, until Madison began to grow cranky.

"Someone needs a nap." Fitz said as Madison borrowed her head into his neck.

"I think we could all use a nap. Let's head back inside."

"NO" Madison began to whine. "I wanna build a sand castle for the princess"

"Baby, I think it's time to rest, and once we have some lunch we can come back to the beach and play in the sand all you want okay?" Olivia explained, gently rubbing the back of her hand against Madison's wet cheek.

"Ok, mommy." Even if she wanted to protest further, she was far too exhausted to do so.

As much as Fitz loved being on the island of Antigua with his family, nothing seemed better than waking up in his own house with his two girls under the same roof. They had gotten in last night and while Olivia insisted on unpacking and throwing everything in the laundry room to be washed the next day, Fitz and Madison went to the store to pick up some groceries that would hold them over until they were able to go on a full shopping trip that weekend.

When Fitz decided that he wasn't able to fall back asleep, he got up and went to the bathroom before freshening up. He heard the moment Madison had awakened, but instead of coming into their room like she normally would have, he heard her go into the laundry room to see Wally. He knew she missed her pet while she was away, and when they had arrived home yesterday evening, she begged to play with the turtle.

Not wanting to disturb Olivia, Fitz closed the door quietly behind him before venturing into his daughter's room and found her exactly as he predicted.

"Hey best girl, you wanna put Wally back in his cage and help me make a special breakfast for Mommy?"

"Hi daddy. I can't put Wally back 'acause he told me he needs me to play with him right now and he missed me so so much while we went to 'acation."

Fitz held back the laugh that threatened to escape him.

"So Wally told you that, huh?"

"Mmhmmm," she spoke, nodding her head, barely glancing back. "it's not nice leaving your friends for 'acation. I bet you Auntie is sad that mommy left her. Did you know that Auntie is mommy's bestest friend, daddy?"

"I did know that babygirl." He watched as she continued to play with Wally, speaking to the turtle more than she spoke to him. He knew he'd have to bring out the big guns if he wanted to get her attention.

"I know that Auntie Abby missed mommy, so I know they're gonna hang out later today, but I really wanted to do something with _my_ bestest friend today."

Madison's eyes lit up as she had been listening halfway to her daddy speak.

"Who's _your_ bestest friend daddy?"

"You are."

"I am?" she asked excitedly, completely turning around and moving into his personal space, wanting to know more. "Is mommy just your friend and I'm your bestest friend _and_ your best girl?"

Chuckling softly, Fitz lifted her into his arms, knowing he had the conniving girl right where he wanted her. It was the running joke between him and Olivia lately to see who their little girl would turn on if it meant her gaining something in return. Olivia had only been kidding when she joked about needing her ego stroked when it came to Fitz's _best _girl. She was in love with the way that her daughter loved her new daddy and knew that Fitz felt as though it was _his_ blood that ran through her veins. She was his daughter on all accounts.

"You and Mommy are BOTH my bestest friends, so can you help me make her a very special breakfast?"

"Yes! I will be the bestest helper daddy."

He smiled at her and kissed her head before grabbing the turtle from the dollhouse and taking it back to its tank. Once they made their way into the kitchen, they washed their hands and Fitz started putting things on the counter that they would be using.

"Milk…. Pancake box…eggies…. Tomatoes….. green leaves….. other beg-able stuffs….. daddy what are we gonna make?" she asked after listing off as many items as she recognized.

"We are gonna make omelets, pancakes, and potatoes, and fruit for mommy." He pulled a couple of potatoes out of the fridge before getting out the cutting board, mixing bowls, a whisk, and a couple of knives.

About twenty five minutes later, Fitz flipped the last omelet and turned the stove off. He glanced back at Madison as she sat up on the island with her feet tucked behind her, cutting strawberries with the plastic knife he had given her.

"You about done with the strawberries, best girl?"

"Yep best daddy, I'm done."

He smiled at the bowl of strawberries that were cut up, each one completely different from the next. Some looked like she had cut up the fruit into fifteen pieces, while others looked like she hadn't touched them at all. He loaded the paotatoes and omelets onto one plate with empty plates stacked underneath, grabbed the bowl of strawberries, and lastly pulled the plate of pancakes from the oven where they were staying warm and loaded everything on a try.

"Alright, hop on" he turned his back to her and waited for her to climb on, then lifted the tray and started towards the bedroom.

He opened the door and saw Olivia walking out of the bathroom. Seeing him and Madison, she smiled brightly and watched him deposit the tray onto the nightstand.

"Good morning Mommy! We made you breakfast since we are your best friends!"

"Thank you baby. It all looks_ so_ yummy."

She grabbed Madison from Fitz's back and kissed her cheek before leaning up to Fitz and kissing his lips.

"Good morning wife."

"Good morning husband." She wondered how long that would last before it became extremely cheesy. She hoped it wouldn't be for a while.

"This breakfast in bed is to celebrate our very first morning waking up in our home as husband and wife."

Olivia smiled and leaned up to kiss his lips. "I knew I married you for a reason."

"I cut the strawberries!"

"You did a great job, baby."

"I'll be right back, I need to get drinks. Do you want tea, coffee or juice?" Fitz said starting for the door.

"You take the munchkin and start dishing out the food, and i'll grab drinks. You want milk?"

"Yes please."

"Me too, Mommy! Strawberry milk!"

"Alright love." She let her down on the bed and made her way out into the kitchen only to free mid-step upon arriving.

To say that her beautiful kitchen was a mess would be the understatement of the year. There were pans all over the stove, caked in pancake mix and dried eggs, two different whisks sitting on top of bowls with egg yolk and pancake batter dried on the counter beneath it. There were also globs of pancake burned onto the stove-top surface, making her grimace. Olivia spotted the cutting board Fitz used for the vegetables and the potatoes and could see the peels on the counter and the floor. She glanced to the island praying there was a spot she could find that didn't make her want to cry, but found out that wouldn't be possible. She now knew where her daughter had cut up the strawberries seeing as there were mini green leaves and strawberry juice covering the counter. Shaking her head, Olivia opened the fridge and grabbed three water bottles before taking a deep breath and going back into her room.

Fitz and Madison were propped up on the bed and Madison had started eating but it was clear that Fitz was waiting for her return. Olivia noticed the confusion on his face when he saw the waters she was carrying,

"I guess water will do, huh?" he said smiling brightly at her as she climbed on the bed and grabbed her plate and started eating.

Fitz watched her carefully, hoping that she liked the food, knowing that his expertise in the kitchen didn't go very far.

"So? Is it edible?"

"You know how the last time you cooked anything really was when you and Mads made donies?" Olivia asked after swallowing a bit of pancakes.

"Yea" Fitz responded in confusion.

"You cook anything else in my kitchen besides those, I'm gonna kill you" She smiled brightly at him and continued stabbing at her pancakes before eating more.

"Yes ma'am."

She continued to smile while chewing her food.

"And Fitz?"

"Yes?"

"You're cleaning my kitchen the second you're done eating."

"Yes ma'am." He repeated.

She smiled at him again, but this time lifted her plate from her lap and moved closer to him on the bed, forcing the state of her kitchen to the back of her mind, and kissed him hard on the mouth.

"Hi, husband."

Pulling back, Fitz stared at Olivia with adoration and let it settle in for a second that he was now married to the woman of his dreams and had a daughter with the possibility of more kids in his future. For the first time in forever, he felt more complete than he ever had in his entire life.

"Hi, wife."

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Again thank you to Mo and Kayla for all the help and text messages you sit through and read lol. You're my muses! Also, thank you to you faithful readers that review each chapter and tell me your thoughts. It REALLY pushes me to jot down notes, think of extra pieces to throw in, and to write as much as I can for you guys! So I appreciate all of you. Happy New Year to you all! - Jen**


	14. Chapter 13

_Isn't she pretty  
Truly the angel's best  
Boy, I'm so happy  
We have been heaven blessed  
I can't believe what God has done  
Through us he's given life to one  
But isn't she lovely made from love_

_**Isn't She Lovely- Stevie Wonder**_

**Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. I DO NOT own Scandal- or characters- just little Mads. This chapter is dedicated to Lynn. Sending you hugs tonight. Also, the conversation that you will read between Madison and Olivia is an actual conversation between mother and child that I've incorporated into the story. So just keep that in mind- it's authenticity. **

"No"

"No?"

"I actually _didn't_ stutter."

"You won't even let me plead my case? It's just a _no_?"

"It's a _no_ now. Do you want it to be a _hell no_?"

"Olivia…"

"Fitzgerald"

"It's not a big deal, it's only a…."

"Pool. It's a pool as a gift to a four year old and the answer is no. You're not getting a pool for Madison for her birthday."

"Okay" Fitz waited a beat before he started again. "Livvie, you know what would be a great addition to our home?"

"Not a pool" She responded dead panned, and rolled her eyes. "Just drop it babe, maybe next summer, but it's not happening anytime soon. We haven't even spent six full months here. Let's just focus on other things."

"Like?" he questioned.

"Like your bitch of a boss that just can't keep her hands off of you apparently."

"Livvie.."

"Those were your words, Fitz."

"Yea, my words to my father that you just happen to eavesdrop on."

"Yea well I'm tired of her shit. I can't believe the bullshit hours she's _still_ trying to get you to agree on. Does she not understand the words, "husband" and "father" or is "lonely bitch" the only words she understands?"

Olivia was frustrated, but knew that if anything really got out of hand, Fitz would more than handle it.

"All that matters is that I was able to stop her before she went any further with my schedule and that I got Maddie's actual birthday off, and the day of her party, I will be there the first two hours before I have to go in."

Olivia stared at Fitz across the room from where she stood putting the both of their underclothes away from the pile she had washed earlier that afternoon. He looked elated sitting up in their bed against the headboard in his black boxer briefs. He normally wore boxers, but when he noticed one of her recent purchases for him were briefs, he'd taken the subtle hint and wore the semi ass-hugging underwear as long as he could find a clean pair. She'd obviously bought them because she wanted him to wear them, so he indulged her.

Fitz was ecstatic about celebrating Madison's fourth birthday. They had barely been dating two months when she turned three last year, and Olivia hadn't allowed him to meet Madison at that point.

"What have you guys done in the past to celebrate her birthday?"

"That doesn't matter" Olivia's spoke simply, neatly laying her delicate bras in their respective place.

"Well, I don't want to change any traditions you guys have with her."

"Babe, she was three and I can guarantee she doesn't remember a thing about it."

"But what did you guys do?" he asked persistently.

"Me and Abby made smiley faced pancakes for breakfast, ate, and then went to the water park for the day, the one that's near Chapel Hill. We spent most of the day there, had an early dinner, came home and I had to take her to see Jake, then she crashed by 7:30" She shrugged her shoulders, wanting him to understand that their day wasn't a huge deal.

"It sounds like the perfect day with the exception of _him_" Fitz smiled recalling the year before when she told him she had plans but hadn't mentioned what they were, let alone that it was Madison's birthday.

"What do YOU want to do for her birthday? This will kinda be her first birthday spending it with her dad that she will actually recall."

"And for that I want to make it really special for her" those were the only thoughts on his mind- how could he make this first celebration extra special for his little girl.

"Well just so you know, we plan to make sure your first birthday as a daddy is special. And I personally plan to make sure your first birthday as my husband is perfect."

Olivia climbed on the bed and settled herself in front of him, kissing his lips chastely. When he moves to deepen the kiss, she pulled away and laughed apologetically.

"Babe, we can't tonight"

"I know, but we can still make out like a bunch of horny newlyweds, which we are."

"_You know?"_ Olivia eyed him skeptically, wondering how he allowed her to deny him sex without putting up a fight.

"Yes, I know"

"And what exactly do you know?"

Fitz groaned slightly and moved closer to her, "Livvie, I know your body by heart, and that includes my knowing or at least being able to somewhat predict when you will be on your period. You either started last night, or we're gonna make love, and _I'm_ going to start it. So like I said, I know. Now let's make out."

Fitz's face was smug as hell, not at all being ashamed of talking about the most personal happenings of his wife's body. Olivia almost wanted to slap him. Fitz moved his lips to her neck, smiling against her skin when she moved her head back to grant him access to her throat. Olivia moaned when his hands gripped her sides and moved down to the strings of her long pajama pants.

"As a professional doctor, you know that's not even close to being true."

"Either way, you're wearing these damn pants, which you only do during a very specific time of the month" he squeezed her nose with his index finger and thumb and winked at her.

"Shut up" Olivia said huskily pushing his hands away from the front of her pants. He was completely right though. That was the only time she wore those particular pants. "Keep your hands to yourself tonight, baby."

"You know I'll accept your hands tonight if you want to be kind, and if you're in a really giving mood….." Fitz trailed off and his hand grazed up the valley between her breasts and up her throat until his index and middle finger landed on her plump lips.

Fitz stared at his wife with a full smile on his face, showing all of his teeth. She hadn't moved a muscle or even blinked as she started directly at him, almost daring him to make the next move. Grabbing a hold of his hand, Olivia brought his thumb into her mouth, immediately letting her tongue run over the pad of his thumb before she sucked on it and released it just as quickly before scooting off the bed and going into the bathroom.

Fitz felt his dick tremble and groaned when her beautiful mouth released the digit. He climbed out of the bed and followed her into the bathroom, and saw the small door that led to the commode closed. Kneeling down, he reached under her vanity cabinet and grabbed her brush, comb, and the large jar of coconut oil before sitting them on the counter. When she came out, she rolled her eyes at the grin he was wearing and moved pass him to wash her hands.

"What are you doing Fitz?"

"I've watched you oil and wrap your hair nearly every day for the past seven months and you promised me one day you'd let me do it. I'm cashing in, Mrs. Grant."

"Does it have to be tonight? I love you baby, and as sexy as you look holding a jar of coconut oil and my hair brush, I'm cranky as hell and would hate to take it out on you."

"You won't. Just let me take care of you."

She raised one eyebrow in his direction.

"Okay, let me _try_ to take care of you."

Feeling her walls immediately break down, Olivia smirked at his thoughtfulness and pulled out the small vanity stool before sitting down in front of her husband. Olivia immediately relaxed at the feeling of his large hands gently moving through her hair. This wasn't the first time he'd helped her moisturize her hair and with doing Madison's hair more often, Fitz had gotten very good at parting and oiling her scalp. Olivia's hair wasn't near as time consuming as their daughters, so Fitz was able to part her straight hair into a couple of sections and simply run his fingers through her hair knowing she wasn't in the mood for a full on scalp treatment. Once he was done, Fitz combed her hair evenly down and slowly began combing small sections to the right in a circular direction.

Olivia watched him through the mirror, chuckling at the look of concentration on his face. He would comb over a chunk of hair before grabbing the brush he had between his teeth and after replacing the comb handle in his mouth, he'd smooth the hair around the back of her head. He muttered a few expletives when part of the wrap fell down in her face, and worked on perfecting it once again. Olivia couldn't lie and say he did a bad job. Her husband's dedication to learn about her hair- no matter how annoying it could be at times- was endearing and paid off. It might have taken Fitz almost three times as long as it would have taken her, but it was relaxing to sit there for ten minutes and feel his hands tend to her precious locks. Olivia felt him run the brush around her hair a little more firmly, followed by his hand smoothing it over. Once he was done, he slowly backed out of the bathroom before running back in with her Chanel head scarf and handed it to her. He knew that putting on her scarf was a no-no, so he stood and watched her hands move quickly, securing the silk material around her head, it completely being second nature to her.

"Thank you baby." Olivia walked up to him and kissed him gently before pulling him behind her to climb onto the bed, and they both fell asleep within minutes of their heads hitting the pillow.

Olivia ran along the trail as swiftly as her legs would carry her, music blaring in her ears from her go to work-out playlist. It was a hot morning at eighty-one degrees, and she forced herself to go for her morning run before it reached the predicted ninety degrees the weather report promised. She'd also decided to not wait until later that evening because it would mean that she would have to take Madison along with her and even though it would be cooler with the sun going down, she preferred to have this time to herself.

Olivia hadn't run outside in a while and was insisted on getting back to jogging during the week. When the summer started, she was so busy with the wedding that she usually worked out in their home gym, but with things calmed down, she was happy to get out of the house and catch some rays while she could. The park was only a mile from their house, making it the perfect distance to get there, run about a mile and a half, and get back home feeling satisfied with the amount she'd worked out.

When Fitz left out for work that morning, he met up with his parents and dropped Madison off with them. They decided to enroll her in Vacation Bible School at his parents' church for the week and although Madison was uncertain about it beforehand, having her daddy take her in the first day definitely helped ease her fears. Day two seemed to go smoothly at drop off according to the text that Catherine had sent Olivia with a picture of Madison playing, accompanying the message.

Taking a second to catch her breath, Olivia moved to a nearby bench and sat down before immediately lifting her leg and retying her shoes. She always needed to mess around with the laces while she ran. When she was done, she removed her phone from the strap on her forearm and unhooked her earphones before checking through her missed text messages. She'd heard the interruption in her music when the messages came in, but ignored them, getting in as much _her_ time as possible. As she sifted through her texts, she noticed a few random ones from Harrison telling her he wouldn't be able to come down for Madison's birthday, one from Quinn with a bit of gossip about the new hires she'd heard about for the new school year at Apple Creek, and lastly a text from Fitz saying to call him. It was nonchalant with no indication of real importance so she decided to finish her run before calling him.

Before Olivia made it halfway home, the music completely stopped and her phone rang, forcing her to stop at the music that now played. It was a new ringtone meaning that it was her husband and she laughed loudly, doubling over to rest her hands on her knees to control herself. Fitz had a way of changing his ringtone to her phone on a weekly basis for no reason at all and it was always interesting to all of a sudden be aware of his music choice.

"Really babe, "She Bangs?" Olivia asked the second she picked up the phone.

"That's just what I was feeling after you finally completed your wifely duties last night. "

"Oh, so that's what I did? Just completed a "wifely duty"? Because if that's the case, then I can just get really mediocre with it baby."

"Now that's not what I said."

"That's what you implied." Olivia walked now with her hand on her hip, deciding the distance to their home, a few blocks away, was the perfect time to wind down.

"Well then let me rephrase that. That's how I was feeling after you completely wore me out. You really put it on me."

"Babe, stop." She laughed at his choice of words, knowing exactly where he'd gotten the saying from.

"Are you done with your run?"

"Yea, I'm just a couple blocks from the house."

"You should stop by with Mads and have lunch with me. Today is our department's appreciation day and they catered our lunch. We're having pizza and Italian pastas from Maggiano's all kinds of salads, and we've got an Italian ice bar they've already set up."

"Ice cream bar and pizza- she's definitely gonna love that. "

"Maybe she'll crash on the way home and not get too hyper. If she's wild, just let her loose in the backyard."

"_When_ she'd wild, I'll just have to deal, it's way too hot out and it's only climbing. I'm glad I came out this morning before it became unbearable. She'll be fine though, once we leave form you, I'm gonna sign her up for swim class at the community center like we talked about."

"Did you check for the ones on Tuesday/Thursday mornings so I can be there?" Fitz asked wanting to be able to be there with Madison on the day he went in late.

"Yea, I found a slot open. They're holding our spot for the day, so we definitely will stop past before we go home today."

"Perfect, well I'm gonna try to get this board cleared before you guys get here so text me when you're leaving mom and dad's."

"I will, I love you."

"Love you too, Livvie."

It was two hours later that Olivia walked into the gym of the church where most of the students would be for pick up after the camp was over. Noticing that Madison wasn't with her group, Olivia instinctively knew to seek out Catherine's office that was located near the back of the church and walked in a few moments later to see Madison perched on her Grammy's lap. They were looking at a picture frame and Madison was staring at her grandmother with wide eyes as she listened to a story of her daddy when he was a kid her age.

"Grammy, daddy looks different."

"Well he was a little, little boy in this picture, and then he grew up to be a big grown-up. Hey sweet girl, look who's here." Catherine said gesturing to the door, having noticed Olivia walk in.

Glancing up, Madison beamed at her mother and was quick to slide off Catherine's lap and attack Olivia's legs in a tight hug.

"Mommy, you came!"

"Of course I came baby. Mommy will always come for you if I say I am." She lifted Madison to her face and granted her puckered up lips with a kiss before placing her back down on her two feet. She moved towards Catherine who had stood up to greet her.

"Hi mom." She hugged her and Olivia picked up the picture from the desk that they had been in conversation about. "That is one handsome little man right there."

"Eh, he's my little boy, so I can be honest and say he was quite goofy looking as a kid, but he grew into a dashing young man I must admit."

"Just don't let him hear you say that. His ego is large enough as it is."

They both laughed and after Olivia told Catherine of Madison's birthday plans in a hushed voice while her daughter was distracted, the two said their goodbyes with promises of seeing each other the next day for camp.

Once Madison was buckled into her car seat- which had taken a while after she insisted on showing her mother every single craft she'd done that day by pulling it from her backpack- Olivia sent Fitz a text letting him know they were on their way and pulled out of the parking lot to start the ten minute drive.

"Toots, what did you learn today at camp?"

"I dunno." Madison spoke, moving her gaze out the window.

"You don't know?" Olivia asked shocked, wondering why her normally talkative child was so quiet.

"Mommy, why was daddy's picture so different?"

"What do you mean, baby?"

"The picture from Grammy's office I sawed. He looked different."

"Baby, I don't know what you mean. He looked so different because he was a little boy in the picture."

"Daddy's color looked funny."

"Ohhh, that's because of the way that picture were taken a long time ago. It looks very different now."

Madison continued to look out of the window, no longer interested in continuing the conversation. Olivia knew she was in deep thought with how quiet she'd gotten and knew that when she was ready, she would spit out whatever was going on in that head of hers.

Stepping into the elevator, Olivia noticed that Madison's grip on her hand had gradually tightened since they'd stepped foot into the hospital. Knowing that her daughter was clearly speaking through her actions, Olivia bent down to lift Madison under her arms and hoisted her onto her hip.

"Baby, you are safe here, okay? Remember what we talked about before?"

"The old daddy's not here." She spoke quietly into the crook of Olivia's neck.

"That's right, and he's never coming back. Mommy promises."

To say that Madison had a fear of the hospital was an understatement. Even being a resilient almost four year old that was able to bounce back from all the turmoil life had dealt before her, she was clearly still harboring thoughts of fear over her last visit to with Jake that landed her in the ER with a fractured wrist. She'd gone to the emergency room twice with Olivia, having plans to visit Fitz for lunch, but they were never able to follow through with Olivia's plan of a packed lunch she'd bring with them to eat in the cafeteria. They wouldn't even wait inside for Fitz to come down anymore. It was a work in progress and both parents were hoping that with each visit, her fear would diminish more.

"Let's go find your daddy, okay?"

"My daddy Fitz."

Madison muttered the words against Liv's neck, pronouncing his name correctly for the first time, shocking Olivia. When they walked into the cafeteria, Fitz was leaning against a table, having been waiting for them to arrive.

"There you two are" Fitz spoke, dropping his phone into the pocket of his khakis. He had almost sent Olivia a text asking if he needed to come down and help with Madison, knowing his little girl still had troubles being in the hospital but understanding that in due time, she would be okay.

"We made it up the elevator with as little hassle as possible." Olivia gave him a pointed look before she was kissed chastely and led over to a small table where they would be sitting.

"Oh and someone learned a new word apparently. Hey Mad's, who did we come to see? Who's this?"

Olivia gently tried to ease her out of the crook of her neck, and when Madison finally looked up, she smiled and reached for Fitz, fully beaming when she was secure in his arms.

"We came to see daddy." She spoke quietly.

"What's his name? Say his name." Olivia encouraged.

"Fitz!"

"Hey now! What happened to _Fence_?"

"You're not Fitz anymore, you're daddy." Madison laughed, not understanding that she was completely pronouncing his name properly now.

"You're right girly, I'm daddy now." Now it was Fitz's turn to bury his face into Madison's neck. Making chomping noises, and giving her soft bites with his lips covering his teeth, Fitz sent Madison into a fit of giggles, easily drawing attention to the small family.

Olivia looked around the room, noticing the stares they were getting from other employees and their families. She noticed that there were about three looks her small family was receiving.

A look of adoration from other woman as they watched Fitz and Madison interact. _Yes, I'm so very blessed._

How does he have a kid that old? Didn't they just get married? Is that his kid? I guess she could pass for his kid. I didn't know his wife was black. _Our families business is just that. Ours. Not yours_

What does she have that I don't? _Obviously, everything he wants._

The final looked she received was from none other than Fitz's supervisor, Millicent Whitman. If you looked up the word, "jealous bitch" in the dictionary, there would be a picture of her smiling face smack dab in the middle.

"Livvie… Liv.." Fitz was finally successful I snapping her out of her daydream and when he followed her line of sight he noticed it led to Millicent who was speaking with a group of people, yet glancing their way every few seconds. "Hey, ignore her. Let's eat."

Fitz placed his hands on the small of her back and guided her towards to food spread.

"Why don't you grab ours and I'll grab food for her, I'll eat whatever."

Olivia nodded, and grabbed two plated while Fitz goofed off with Madison behind her making the little girl's plate. She was grateful for him offering to take over the task of feeding their little girl as Olivia was never in the mood to negotiate with Madison. The little girl would be a lawyer one day. Olivia just knew it.

Placing a healthy portion of pasta on Fitz's plate, Olivia made a mental note to not cook pasta for dinner and started with salad on her plate before grabbing a slice of mushroom and goat cheese pizza.

"Alright short stuff, I'm gonna get you some water, start eating up." Olivia said sitting down their plates and moving to walk away.

"I don't want water, I want juice."

Olivia ignored her and walked away, returning a handful of seconds later balancing the three cups of water.

"Mommy, I didn't want water." Madison eyed Olivia clearly displeased.

"Madison"

Her head immediately turned in Fitz's direction when she heard the tone of his voice. His face was serious, and Madison knew to listen.

"What did mommy say? You need to listen and drink your water, okay?"

She nodded her head, listening right away. Olivia rolled her eyes, wondering how his simple warning worked yet hers did not.

Madison went to work on her pizza, glancing around the room at all the people eating with one another. Her eyes locked in on everyone, her people watching skills at a new level.

"Mad's chew with your mouth closed, please."

She nodded her head and continued eating.

"How many more days to my birthday, mommy?"

"Two days until your birthday, and then two more days until your birthday party with everyone."

"I have two parties?" her eyes lit up and she looked back and forth between her parents.

"Not two parties baby, one the weekend, Saturday, we are going to have your birthday party and lots of people are going to come."

"Who's gonna come?"

"Grammy, Poppy, Auntie, Ms. Quinn, some of your friends from school, some of mommy's friends from school and their kids too. It'll be a lot of people."

"I'm gonna have fun at my party!"

"And on your birthday, we are gonna spend the day just us three."

"What are we gonna do?"

"Well, daddy and you are gonna go on a date together.."

"A date? But I thought you go on dates with daddy?"

"Me and mommy do go on dates, but for your birthday, I want to take you out on a very special daddy/daughter date. Would you wanna do that? We can have a picnic and go to the park together."

"What about mommy?"

"This is for you and daddy only, but when you guys are done, you and I are going to go do something very special together, and then we will all do something special, okay?"

Olivia and Fitz had talked for hours the other night, making sense of what they wanted this birthday for Madison to look like. This would not only be Fitz's first birthday to spend as her father, but it was also the first one that Olivia felt like she had complete control and say over her daughter and she had nothing to be afraid of. When she turned two, she'd ended up in the ER after the fight with Jake and her falling off her changing table and last year she was forced to take allow Jake to spend a few hours with her. This birthday would be the start of a new kind of celebration and she was thrilled for her little family.

"Fitz, are you gonna introduce me?"

The three of the turned to the intruding voice and saw a large, fake smile spread across the brunette's face.

"I'm Mellie! Fitz, is this your step-daughter?" She leaned closer towards the little girl.

"Dr. Whitman, this is my wife Olivia, and our _daughter_, Madison."

"Hi there cutie, don't you look just like your mother. And Olivia, I heard from some colleagues that your wedding was beautiful. I heard you got married in a backyard?" She tried her hardest to make it come off as an inquiry, but both Olivia and Fitz heard the underlining distaste of her question.

"When Olivia and I found our home, we fell in love with everything about it, but it was the size of the backyard that sold us on the house, and I promised her that I would marry her there someday." He spoke to Mellie, but looked at Olivia the entire time, his hand caressing hers as if they were the only two people in the room.

"It really was beautiful. We were able to have the reception, and dance floor already set up on the other side of the house, away from the altar and everything. You'll have to see pictures one day, we only invited close friends and family."

"I see" Mellie wasn't sure what else to say, completely being put in her place by the two of them. "So Fitz, I was going over the calendar and realized that our next conference will be at John Hopkins in August, and I'd really like it if you'd be there to assist in our presentation."

Fitz glanced at Olivia, seeing the look of annoyance on her face as their family lunch was interrupted.

"Dr. Whitman would you mind if we spoke about this another time? I would like to enjoy lunch with my family before heading back down."

"Oh of course, my apologies. I'm sure this cutie would like your attention back." She reached forward to pat Madison's head, but the little girl moved out of her reach, and ducked under Fitz's arm. She hated when people she didn't know touched her hair, and Olivia hated that people assumed her daughter appreciated it. "Well, once you're free we definitely need to get moving on it. It's coming up soon so we've got our work cut out for us. I'll see you later, Fitz."

She walked away, not bothering to acknowledge Olivia and Fitz let out a groan before rubbing his hands down his face. "I swear she's a two-faced B-I-T-C-H. That conference isn't supposed to be until November when I'm gone, but I'm sure she weaseled her way into the earlier one just to force me to go."

"I really don't want to talk about her anymore. Let's just finish eating and deal with it later." Olivia asked, finishing off her pizza, and starting in on her salad.

"Well if it isn't my favorite new Grant family." Cyrus said walking up behind Fitz and Madison.

"Hey Cy." Fitz smiled as Olivia stood and greeted him with a warm hug before he sat down across from Madison. He reached his hands into his white coat pockets before pulling both closed fist out and holding them out in front of Madison

"Alright cutie, pick a hand."

Madison giggled quietly before glancing at Fitz, who gave her an encouraging smile. "Ummmmm… I want…. This one" she said poking at his left fist. She smiled when his hand popped open and there was a small green frog-shaped eraser.

"Look mommy!" she held the small piece of rubber up for Olivia to see.

"That's awesome babe, what do you say to Uncle Cy?"

"Thank you Uncle Cy!" she beamed at him, batting her eyelashes. He was putty in her hands and spent the rest of his lunch break having eating with the family and enjoying their company.

"Did you get to double check the rentals for Saturday?"

Fitz adjusted himself before holding out his beer to Olivia. Changing his mind for a second, he took one last swig of the cold lager before handing it to her to sit on the patio table. Doing the same to her glass of wine, Olivia stopped the hammock from moving as much as she could and grabbed a hold of his out-stretched hand to use as leverage, and settled down in front of Fitz's body. His hands went to her waist and he burrowed his face into her shoulder, nipping at her skin before finally answering her question.

"Yea, they'll do the entire set up and tear down, so we just need someone to be home to let them in the side gate. Did all the RSVP's come in and did everyone sign the waiver?"

"Yes, and the petting zoo will be there after we eat food and cake. I booked them from 2:30-3:-330 they arrive at 2:00 to set up and should be packed up to go no later than four."

"Is that the only time they had? I hate that I won't be here to really see her with the animals."

"You could always just not go…." Olivia said jokingly.

"Yea and then be stuck pulling doubles and weekends until I quit? I'll pass, smartass." He said nipping at her a bit harder than usual.

"We will take pictures Fitz, and video, it'll be fine."

"It won't, but I'll get over it."

He didn't say much after that and Olivia didn't push the subject any further knowing he was really upset about not being able to stay the entire party. The only way he was able to get Madison's actual birthday off on Thursday was to swap shifts with someone, meaning he would have to be at the hospital at three. The very latest that he could leave his house would be 2:15.

It was a surprisingly cool evening thanks to the rain that had come down for hours and after they'd all watched a movie together on the couch, they'd put Madison down and changed for bed before coming out to try the new hammock Fitz had just put up the night before. He said it reminded him of their honeymoon and when Olivia pointed out that they didn't have a hammock in their suite, he shrugged it off and said it still made him think they were on the beach somewhere.

"So tomorrow after breakfast, are you gonna take her out to the mall to get her ears pierced before our date?"

"Yea, and I know it's supposed to be my special thing I'm doing with her, but I really want you to come too. I think she'd want both of us there with her, and you know she's gonna cry and be extra dramatic, so you have to come."

"That's fine, so will you guys do something different together?"

"Yea, I want to take her to get her nails done." She turned her head around as much as she could to gauge his reaction.

"Her nails done? You don't think she's too young for that?"

"It's not like im gonna get her a full out mani/pedi, just gonna bring a color with us and have them paint her nails. It'll make her feel special and it'll be really sweet."

"I guess so."

"Hey," making the hammock rock, she laughed, turning around so that she was face to face with Fitz. "You're grumpy that fast, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just can't believe it's been over a year already since our first date and we're married and Mads is gonna be four years old tomorrow. Time is just flying by and before we know it, there'll be some guy asking for her hand in marriage."

"Wow, really? You went all the way there? Fitz you can't focus on how fast time is moving, you just have to enjoy every single moment. Think of it this way, this week we celebrate Madison's fourth birthday, and maybe next year we will be celebrating the birth of a new little Grant."

"Now that definitely put me into a better mood. I can't wait to see this stomach get big and rounded and feel him or her kicking all night."

"Of course those are the things you can't wait to happen. It'll be amazing thought, and I too can't wait until we're pregnant."

He held her for a few moments before peeking at the watch on his wrist. "You wanna go in?"

"No. I wanna make out with you for a while first."

"Oh really? You gonna let me get to second base?" he smirked, leaning his head down until his lips were hovering over hers.

"If you're lucky" she responded breathily, before capturing his lips in hers.

Early that next morning, Olivia shoved Fitz ahead of her as they walked quietly into Madison's room, and got in on either side of the sleeping girl's bed. She was but merely a lump under her covers with her head completely off her satin pillow, making her braided hair frizzy and wild. Fitz kissed Madison's cheek before Olivia kissed the other one, removing the blanket from her completely.

"Time to wake up baby" Olivia said and Fitz smiled at the softness of her voice, loving how gentle she was with Madison.

Madison moved around in bed and when she realized that she was smothered between her two parents, she smiled and moved to snuggle into Olivia's chest. "Hi mommy"

"Hi my sweet Madison Olivia. Did you know that four years ago today you were in my belly? You were kicking me really early in the morning, and I was so tired and really knew that you were ready to come out"

"And then you went to the doctors and I came out of your belly and you loved me forever and ever" Mads finished the story she'd been told many times by her mother. She turned her head to look towards Fitz. "Where were you when I was coming out of mommy's belly?"

Fitz looked at Olivia before focusing his attention back on Madison.

"I was waiting for you guys to find me." He winked at her, and Madison moved from Olivia and crawled onto Fitz lap, laying her head on his chest.

"I'm glad we found a new daddy." She added quietly.

"I'm glad too, baby." Fitz kissed her head, saying a silent prayer, thanking God for her. "What do you say, you, mommy, and me cook a special birthday breakfast."

"What's in a birthday breakfast?" her eyes were wide with excitement, knowing her daddy had all the answers she could ever need.

"A birthday breakfast is whatever you want to have for breakfast, sweet girl."

"What do you want to eat for breakfast, baby?" Olivia asked.

"Can we have chocolate pancakes with cream on top?"

"We sure can birthday girl! Anything you want, you can have"

"Fitz" Olivia said in a warning tone, not wanting this to be a pattern on Madison's birthday.

"Let's go Mads" he purposely avoided Olivia's gaze and carried Madison out of the room, dangling over his shoulder.

Making breakfast that morning together was something Olivia wanted to remember for as long as she could. She'd gotten their camera out, and snapped pictures of Fitz and Madison working together. Whether she was on his back, perched on his hip, or she sat on the counter with him standing in front of her, their moments together were beautiful and no one would think twice about him being her biological father. Just the same, Fitz had his fair share of watching Olivia and Madison mix the batter for the pancakes that had far too many chocolate chips, snapping pictures at every moment, whether they were smiling or just concentrating. The three of them took a handful of pictures together, and with much preparation and warning to be careful, they let Madison take a few of the two of them. While Fitz cleaned the kitchen, he kept an eye out for Madison who was on the trampoline, while Olivia went to finish up some laundry she had started earlier. They didn't agree to her bouncing directly after eating, but she insisted that her belly would feel fine. Madison had been out for ten minutes, when Olivia came out dressed only in her undergarments with her short satin robe tied loosely around her waist, and scooped her off and carried her inside.

"Daddy is going to run to the store, so tell him you'll see him later"

"But what about our date, daddy?" she pouted her best pout, hoping that the date he had gotten her so excited for wasn't going to be canceled.

"Oh, put that lip away…" Fitz said cupping her cheeks and popping a quick kiss on her lips. "… you are going to do something with mommy first, then daddy will be back to pick you up for our date. I just need to get some things for your party, so you have fun with mommy and I'll see you for our date okay?"

"Okay daddy. Mommy, I want to get my paints!" she wiggled from Olivia's arms and took off running towards her own bathroom. As of late, they had only bathed Madison in her own bathroom because they wanted to get her accustomed to using it instead of theirs all the time.

Olivia smiled at Fitz when he took Madison's absence as an opportunity to have some fun. His large hands immediately found her waist and brought her closer, squeezing their lower halves together before he rubbed his nose against hers, nipping at her lips in the process. He teased her a few more times before he felt her hands gripping the back of his neck and his lips crashed onto hers, the feel of her tongue exciting him. It didn't take long before Fitz' hands moved to her ass and Olivia was hoisted in the air, her legs wrapping around his waist.

"You know…*kiss* she'll be …. *kiss* *kiss* back before you *kiss*"

"Mommy, I'm ready!" Madison barreled into the living room, butterball naked with a huge smile and two sticks of bath paints in each hand.

Fitz sighed against Olivia's mouth and let her slide down his body until she stood on two feet.

"And that's my cue." He groaned, grateful for Madison who was his beautiful mood killer, and went to give her a kiss on the head before winking at Olivia and walking towards the garage to leave.

Once she heard the garage door close, Olivia turned to Madison before raising her eyebrows, "I think I need to tickle anyone that's nakey, so if you're nakey, you better run as fast as you can in the bathroom!"

Madison took off running, laughing loudly and when she finally made it into the master bathroom she was all proud smiles!

Madison bounced on the heels of her feet, watching as the bathtub filled with water and bubbles. Her most favorite thing to do since she was a baby was take baths with her mommy and Olivia dreaded the day she became too old in both her own rejection as well as too old for the typical age of a child to bathe with their parents. Olivia, herself didn't follow any strict parenting do's or don't nor didn't she read blogs to learn the secrets of raising her child, but even she knew she wouldn't be sharing a bubble bath her with an eight year old. When Olivia gave her permission to get in, the little girl hopped in and Olivia took off the remainder of her clothes, before getting in as well.

Olivia watched Madison playing for a few minutes, before wondering why her daughter was much quieter than her usual bubbly self. She definitely had that look in her eye that let her mother know she was in deep thoughts about something. Instead of worrying about what could be going on in her head, Olivia took a few moments to unabashedly stare at her beautiful child. No matter whose DNA ran through her, Madison was her biggest accomplishment and she was grateful that the little girl made her a mom. Madison scooped bubbles into her hands before smothering her chin in the suds. Next, Madison reached for the red paint tube and started making streaks on her left arm.

"Mommy, why are you brown, and I'm not?"

"What?" Olivia asked somewhat confused, assuming she'd misheard her daughter.

"Why is your skin brown and mine's not?

"Yours isn't?" Olivia asked thinking it was best to answer her question with a question to see where she was coming from.

"No, see." Madison moved from her sitting position, and knowing her daughter's lack carelessness when it came to personal space, Olivia sat up, crossing her legs. When Madison was close enough, she shoved her arm towards her mother, ridding her skin of the foaming bubbles.

"Well, who told you that?"

Olivia immediately became suspicious of the kids at VBS bringing new things to her attention. She especially thought that since most of the kids knew that Madison referred to Catherine as "Grammy".

"Well, Daniel Tiger says, in some ways we are different, and in some ways we are the same." She sang the tune, moving her head from side to side.

Olivia smiled. A forced smile. Damn that Tiger. It wasn't his fault, not really. In the PBS episode, the differences they highlighted were a kid walking with leg braces and others that weren't. From what Olivia gathered, Madison taking it to the skin color discussion was all on her own.

"That's true baby. So what color are you?" Olivia said wanting to get back to her daughter's original question.

The look on Madison's face was inquisitive as she looked around the bathroom, probably for comparison.

"Well… my kitchen set is white…"

"Yes," Olivia said, and when Madison didn't say anything more, she continued. "like you?" She wanted to be sure Madison understood that was a question as to not sway her daughter's thoughts.

"No"

"Okay, well what color is daddy? Is he brown like me?"

"No, he's yellow like me!" So that was her final decision.

"Oh okay." Olivia responded.

"Me and Daddy are yellow, and only you are brown."

"Okay, and is brown pretty?" Olivia braced herself for the answer, not sure what Madison's answer would be.

"No" she responded point blank.

"Why not?"

"Because brown's not my favorite color."

_Whew. _"Is mommy pretty?"

"Yes!" she dove into Olivia's lap, circling her arms around her neck as water spilled over the sides of the tub and onto the floor.

Madison giggled loudly at the water she saw splashing over, before she reached for one of the bath paints and turned herself around in Olivia's lap before drawing on her. Olivia kissed the side of her head, sighing once she realized the conversation was over. _For now._ She enjoyed knowing that the cruelty of the world hadn't touched her young daughter yet, and she and Fitz had many un-romantic conversations about what type of ignorance they, as well as their children would someday face. It was an ugly truth, but one that they planned to keep control over for as long as they could.

A short time later, Olivia stood behind Madison as the little girl sat crisscross on her bed while Olivia worked on her hair. She pulled her curls away from her face, and clipped it at the top, leaving the bottom to fall down her back. She honestly needed to take her to get a trim, because even with her hair never having being straightened, it came past the middle of her back. She began to fidget when she was tired of sitting there and Olivia could tell the second something caught her eye, when she became completely still. When it was announced that she was finished, the little girl moved immediately to the opposite side of the bed and picked up the 4x6 framed that housed a pictured of Fitz and Madison on the beach during their honeymoon. Madison had been done with playing in the sand and snuggled into Fitz's chest, while Olivia took the opportunity to snap a few pictures of them, that particular one being her favorite.

"I don't want my skin to be this color."

The comment shocked Olivia more than any part of their earlier conversation, and although she thought it had completely left her daughter's mind, she tried to not let her face show her concern at the statement.

"Why not" Olivia moved to the other side of the bed, and pulled her into my lap facing her.

"Because I'm brown and that's not my favorite color."

"Well what color do you want to be?" Olivia asked, bracing herself for the answer.

"Purple" Madison spoke confidently.

Olivia breathed a small sigh of relief, and decided that she was okay with her daughter wanting to be purple for the time being.

"Okay, but you are beautiful exactly the way that you are, and God made you perfectly. There is nothing that I would change about you, sweet girl." She brought her head towards hers and kissed her lips before lifting her off the bed and walking into her bedroom to put her clothes on.

"Mommy, we have to hurry so I won't be late for my date with daddy."

"I promise you will not be late for your date. First, you and I are going to go get your nails painted. Would you like that?"

"Auntie's gonna paint them?" she asked knowing that was the only person to ever paint her nail.

"No, we're going to go to the nail shop and get them done like Mommy does! Is that something you would want to do?"

"Yes! Yes! I wanna go to the nail shop with you!" she bounced excitedly and Olivia slipped the purple, ruffled dress over her head before securing a headband on her head and quickly moving back to her own room to slip on her dress.

"Where is he?" Madison was extra impatient waiting for Fitz to show up for their date. She and Olivia had gone to get her nails done, and with much persuasion from her daughter they walked out with Madison's toes matching her fingernails in bright purple polish with tiny pink polka dots. Fitz would probably groan at her getting designs on her nails and toes, hating the fact that it proved how much she was growing up.

"Calm down little girl, he will be here. Has daddy ever been late for you?"

"No" she admitted still pouting as she looked out the window.

"Then just trust him and wait okay, he will.."

"He's here!" she interrupted and went to pull at the door when Olivia stopped her.

"Hold on, we need to wait for Daddy to come and ring the bell for you." She bent down in front of her and went to smoothing out her dress and fixing pieces of hair that were out of place.

"Why"

"Because dates are special and when you're older and a friend takes you on a date, they need to treat you very special and show you respect and kindness, and daddy is gonna show you how special someone needs to treat you. So a part of that is waiting for him to ring the bell and come and walk you to the car, and open the door for you and things like that. So let daddy treat you extra special today."

"Is it 'acause I'm his best girl ever?" she said blushing, her eyes still peeking to the window to see him start up the walkway.

"Definitely." Olivia said sending her a wink.

When a loud knock sounded on the door, Madison, with Olivia's permission, reached for the handle and pulled it open revealing Fitz dressed in a suit with a bouquet of purple roses in his right hand. He bent at the knees when the door was fully open and smiled at his little girl.

"You look beautiful, Madison."

"Thank you Daddy" she twisted back and forth, instantly blushing. "Daddy, you look VERY handsome in your clothes."

"Thank you, baby. I got these for you. I really hope you like them." He handed her the flowers and her eyes lit up as she glanced at Olivia, then back down to Fitz.

"Thank you, these are pretty flowers."

"Pretty flowers for a pretty girl. Here," he started, breaking a flower off of its stem and bringing it to her thick curls before securing it in place. "Alright, you ready to go?"

She nodded her head eagerly, and he held his hand out for her and led her to the car.

Following behind them in her car, Olivia looked on from a far, smiling at the two of them on their date. She kept her distance, making sure that Madison didn't notice her, and took pictures of the two of them together before driving back home. They'd gone to the park just a couple of blocks from their house and when they arrived, Madison was giddy over the blanket laid out on the ground with a small basket atop of it holding their lunch. Before eating, they played on the playground, Fitz pushing her as high as she wanted to go on the swing, sliding down the slide with her, and holding her high above him as she tackled the monkey bars. Her hair blew wildly in the wind, and he loved the happiness she gave off. After about twenty minutes of running around, they ate sandwiches together, and drank bottled water before Fitz pulled out the strawberry milk. Their soy butter and jam sandwiches were shaped like hearts, and he also packed some of her favorite snacks to go along with their lunch; goldfish, strawberries, chocolate chip cookies, and two small chocolates for each of them.

When she was stuffed, Fitz folded up their blanket and brought it to the car before grabbing the tiny loaf of bread from the car and hoisting Madison up on his shoulders before they walked to the small pond.

"Where are we going now, Daddy?"

"We are gonna feed the ducks."

When they got to where the animals were, he held the bag up for Madison to grab a few pieces and listened to her giggle every time one of her pieces was eaten by a duck. They kept going until the bag was empty, and as she stayed perched atop his shoulders, he began to walk around the pond, enjoying his time with her.

"You know Mads one day you're gonna grow up and be so old that you're gonna want to hang out with boys and it's gonna be my job to make sure he treats you perfectly."

"What do you mean?" she leaned down to peer at him, her fingers on each side of his face.

"That means that he's gonna have to be very kind, and treat you with respect, and open doors for you, and say only nice words, and says god bless you when you sneeze…. It means a lot of stuff sweetie, but I'm gonna make sure he treats my baby girl right because you're the most important girl to me, you know that? There isn't anything I won't do for you because I love you so, so very much."

"I love you very much too."

Their lunch didn't last a full hour before they headed back home to pick up Olivia and head to the mall. They didn't want to have her outside in the heat all day knowing it would exhaust her, and they wanted to get to the mall at a decent hour before it got too late.

"Are we buying clothes?" Madison asked with a groan.

"No baby," Fitz laughed knowing she must have been a bit tired because she was dreading shopping. "..we are going to get your ears pierced."

"Really? Then I can wear big girl earrings like mommy?"

"Yep, we are going to get your ears pierced and maybe someone will give you earrings for a gift at your birthday party." Fitz said knowing that his mother had already spoken with both him and Olivia about getting Madison her first real pair of earrings.

When they made it to Claires, they set up everything and signed all the papers before getting Madison situated on Fitz's lap, as Olivia stood to the side watching. Fitz could tell Madison was nervous as she gripped his hand tightly in her hands and stared at what looked like a weapon in the lady's hand.

"Alright are you ready Madison? It's gonna be really quick okay?" the sales lady asked, moving closer.

"Wait! I want mommy" She wailed already reaching grabby hands out for Olivia, who was quick to scoop her up and switch seats with Fitz.

"Hey, it's okay baby girl. If you don't want to do it, we can leave right now, but mommy really thinks you can be brave and do it." Olivia wasn't sure what she would choose and hated that there weren't two employees there to do it at the same time.

She looked from Olivia to back at the lady with the weapon that would soon stab at her ear.

"What do you say? Are you gonna do it, Toots?"

She nodded her head before burying her face in Olivia's neck, hugging it just as tightly, before the woman lined up the gun to Madison's exposed ear and pulled the trigger. Whether she heard it or not, Olivia felt her little girl jolt in her arms, squeeze her neck, and her chest shudder against hers before her tears began at the pain from the jewelry entering her ear.

"Alright baby, one more to go." Olivia kissed her cheek before turning her head to let the other ear get pierced and was thankful when it was over just seconds later and Madison was full on sobbing.

Olivia continued to try and soothe her, but when she didn't calm down at all as the woman checked her ears over, Fitz gathered her from Olivia's arms, and was grateful when she didn't fight to remain with her mother. He carried her out of the store, leaving Olivia to pay and get all the directions for caring for Madison's ears. By the time Olivia made it out of the store, Fitz and Madison were nowhere to be found and she had to send a text asking where they'd gone before she followed his directions towards the food court and saw her daughter happily eating ice cream, relaxing on her husband's lap.

They officially had a four year old. A spoiled one, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

The following Friday, as the household was still recovering from Madison's extravagant birthday party, Fitz's birthday came just as quickly and Olivia was in wife mode preparing for her husband's first birthday celebration with them as a family.

Olivia quietly tip-toed into the house, hoping that the twenty blue and silver balloons she carried didn't pop. She had snuck out of bed and drove to the party store just a few miles away, insisted on her husband waking up to balloons on his birthday. Catherine had told her all about her son's love for balloons as a child and the way his eyes would light up each time he saw the balloons meant just for him. She wanted to make certain he had that same look today.

Olivia first peeked into Madison's room, figuring her daughter was awake by now. When she had snuck out of bed, she peeked in to see the little girl still asleep and after checking the time, she knew she had a good thirty minutes before she would be venturing out of her bedroom in search of her parents. She did a great job of quickly going to the store and getting back before Madison was able to get up and wake her daddy.

When she opened the door, Olivia froze. This was new. Madison was lying on her stomach with a crayon in her hand and a new coloring book she had received for her birthday in front of her. Her independence nearly frightened Olivia.

"Morning Toots"

"Morning, Mommy… whoa balloons! Are they for me?"

"No. Whose birthday is today?"

"Daddy's!" she cheered, excited at the thought of singing to her daddy and eating cake.

"Yep, so let's put on your special birthday shirt for daddy."

Olivia left the bundle of balloons in the hallway and moved to Madison's closet to grab the new shirt she had hung up days ago in the very back of the closet. She grabbed one of her flowery skirts before bringing it to her little girl and ridding her of her pj's and dressing her in the shirt.

"Go potty please." Olivia said giving her a pat on her bottom, waiting to put the skirt on her. When she was back in the room, Olivia assisted her in stepping into the skirt before grabbing an elastic headband and putting it around her head then pulling her hair into a high top knot.

"Mommy, what does it say?" she said peering down at the shirt with fist and thumbs pointing towards her on it.

"It says, "This girl loves her daddy"."

"Is the girl me?" She asked tilting her head to the side, wanting to understand what the shirt was saying.

"Yep! The best girl."

Gesturing for Madison to follow her, Olivia gathered the ribbons attached to the balloons and pulled them down the hallway with her into the bedroom only to see an empty bed, and to hear water running in the bathroom. She held her finger to her lips, letting Madison know she needed to be quiet and Olivia lifted her onto the bed before grabbing the girl's small hand and securing her fist closed around the ribbons. Olivia told Madison to wait there on the bed before she opened the bathroom door just a little and slipped inside before she closed it back.

Fitz was standing at the sink, wiping his face and mouth clean. It was clear he had just got up and came into the bathroom to use it and freshen up.

"Happy Birthday, Mr. Grant." Olivia greeted him saucily, moving closer to him until she was invading his personal space, something that was usually his forte.

"Thank you." He kissed her hungrily, letting his tongue completely invade her mouth.

Olivia allowed him to continue his tour of her mouth until she came to her senses and pulled back.

"Mads is out there waiting for you."

Fitz smiled and leaned forward and kissed her nose before grabbing her hand and bringing her out of the bathroom with him. Fitz's eyes lit up seeing the balloons floating over their bed with Madison standing atop their comforter trying to bring all he strings into her fist.

"Daddy! Hi!"

"Hi best girl! What are those for?"

"Your birthday! Oh, Happy Birthday, Daddy!" she ran towards him, abandoning the idea of capturing all of the balloons and jumped into his awaiting arms then pushing a kiss on his lips.

"Thank you baby."

Olivia, who had left the room, came back in with a gift bag and two small boxes in her hand and sat down on the bed.

"Time to open some presents, daddy." Olivia said.

They spent the next few minutes watching Fitz open the gifts, the first one was a mug from Madison that read "Best Daddy" that the little girl had picked out herself and painted. She'd also given him a card she had made for him, having taken her time and coloring it. Soon after Madison was done, Olivia gave Fitz his gifts. One was a new watch that she knew he would like along with a new suit. She also got him season tickets to Duke's football and basketball games and lastly a gift that would be for their family as a whole. Fitz had mentioned how he really wanted family photos done so they could put up pictures of their family throughout the house, and Olivia had finally found someone she liked and booked them. After promising a different kind of gift later on that evening, Olivia and Madison allowed Fitz privacy to get dressed for the day before they had breakfast and spent the day together.

"Thank you for today, baby. I really can't put into words how incredible this birthday was." Fitz spoke to Olivia quietly as they sat comfortably with one another on the couch in their living room. They had just come from dinner with his parents, Abby, David, Quinn, a few friends from work and Cyrus, and Fitz had a great time being celebrated.

"No need to thank me Fitz, it was my pleasure. I love having the chance to pamper and cater to you. I'm not sure if you realize how much you really meant to me. My world revolves around our family, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Are you trying to make me take you back there and have my way with you?" Fitz asked turning on his side and moving his hand to her leg. He lifted her leg to wrap around his hip and leaned in to nip at her exposed neck.

"Later baby, I promise." Olivia said knowing he was ignoring her hesitance, only one thing on his mind.

The next morning, Fitz was tangled in the sheets, dead to the world with Olivia's leg tossed over his as he lay sprawled halfway across her chest. He wasn't fully conscious, and although he realized that he could be squishing her, he was far too comfortable to move. Slowly fading away, Fitz was started awake by Olivia's phone on the nightstand buzzing and loudly alerting them to wake up.

"Turnnioff" Fitz groaned in a muffled, sleepy voice.

"Livvie, wake up. You need to turn that damn alarm off."

"You're on me… can't get up" she mumbled in response.

"Sorry" He felt bad knowing he really was squishing her.

"No, I like it." He looked up and noticed her smiling sleepily as her hand made contact with the curls at the back of his head.

Fitz turned his head and kissed at her naked chest, once, twice then moved off of her and reached for her phone. Looking at the screen, he squinted, wandering what the alarm meant.

"What is this alarm for?" he asked re-reading the words, "Scooter". "What the hell is Scooter?"

Hearing that name, Olivia sat up and quickly removed her legs from under his heavy body and went to the dresser to grab some shorts, underwear and a tank top.

"What… what just happened, Livvie?" Fitz watched her naked form move about the room, grabbing at clothes he would prefer to leave off of her.

"Mads could wake up, so I'm gonna jump in the shower first, then you can shower after me, babe."

Before Olivia could stop foot into the bathroom, Fitz jumped off the bed and hauled her body into his, wanting an explanation as to why their morning was being interrupted.

"What's making my wife jump out of bed so early in the morning, the morning after my birthday I might add, before our kid is even awake? What is so important?"

His hands wandered, groping her in places he knew would get her to change her mind about leaving him naked in bed. Olivia's hand immediately went up to stop his hand from moving to her other breast.

"Fitz I really don't want to break this up, but we have to stop. I have one last gift for your birthday to give you so we need to get ready because it's being delivered."

"The mail won't even be here for hours Livvie." He was whining but he didn't care.

"Who said anything about it coming in the mail?" Olivia leaned in to give him a hard kiss on the lips, before going into the bathroom and showering.

Nearly an hour Fitz stood in front of the island as Madison sat on it eating a pop tart- her breakfast of choice. Olivia walked into the living room from the garage with dark blue tub that was closed, and sat it near the couch before walking over towards her husband and daughter.

"What's that?"

"None ya" she smiled boisterously.

"Really Liv?"

"Really." She moved closer until she was able to lift Madison under her arms, and place her down on a stool instead of the countertop, hating when Fitz allowed her to do that. "We sit in chairs missy." She said smacking Fitz on his ass when she was close enough.

"Mommy, can we watch a movie?"

"Maybe later, Toots, but not right now."

"Livvie, what is so important…." He stopped mid sentence as the doorbell rang. Turning to look at Olivia, Fitz tried to read her expression, but her face only held a huge smile.

Olivia and Fitz made their way behind Madison as she scurried to the door before she turned around asking for someone to unlock the locks that were out of her reach. Turning the locks, Olivia held her breath as she opened the door and saw Denise from Saving Grace Pet Rescue with the yellow Lab, Scooter on a leash walking cautiously next to her.

"Mommy, Scooter is here!" Madison squealed remembering the dog her mom had taken her to play with on a few occasions.

"Livvie?" Fitz looked to Olivia, only one question on his mind.

"Hi Denise, come on in." Olivia shook her hand before placing a hand on Madison's shoulder and moving her back to give them enough room to come inside. She closed the door before bending down in front of Madison.

"Baby, I know you're very excited about the doggy being here, but I need you to be on your best behavior for mommy, so I can talk to Ms. Denise, okay? Then you can play with Scooter."

"Okay mommy!" she bounced on her feet, listening to every word her mother was saying although her eyes never left the dog.

Olivia stood up and before she went towards Denise, Fitz grabbed her by the arm to get her attention. He wasn't dumb and from the stack of papers the woman was taking out, Fitz knew they would be dog owners in just a short period of time.

"Really? I thought you didn't want a dog?" he said remembering her brushing the idea off multiple times.

"I just wanted to be able to surprise you."

"How does Madison know his name?"

"I wanted to make sure they got along, so they suggested I bring her up a couple of times. Turns out our little girl can keep a secret pretty well"

"I'm not too sure how much I like that." Fitz groaned. "Thank you, baby."

"Happy Birthday, Fitz." She leaned in and gave him a lingering kiss on his lips, then made her way to greet Scooter who was patiently waiting to be spoken to.

He was a gentle boy, just over a year old and needed a loving home that The Grants promised to provide. Fitz sat on the floor, reading through his family and health history as Scooter lay halfway in his lap, looking as though he'd been with Fitz since birth. Denise threw in her two cents every now and then, before Olivia and her went on a tour of their home which was part of the requirements. When they went outside, Fitz stood up and watched as Scooter stayed put while staring at him longingly, until Fitz patted his thigh and the dog rushed forward to follow him outside. He had been trained well by his previous owners. They went out and Scooter immediately made his way towards Madison who was bouncing on the trampoline. Standing on his hind legs, Scooter did his best to jump on the trampoline with Madison, barking each time he failed.

Denise laughed, eyeing the response of The Grants, "He's a great and obedient, but he is definitely still just a puppy."

"He's amazing." Fitz replied, going up behind Scooter and coaxing him down from his standing position. "So his file said that he previously lived with a two year old- were there any incidents that happened? I know that animals are exactly that, animals, and anything can happen but were there any red flags when it came to his interaction with children?" As much as Fitz wanted to sign every sheet of paper in order for the adoption to be complete, he wouldn't have an animal in his house that had negative past experiences with children. He wouldn't put Madison in any type of danger no matter what the cause.

"Definitely no incidents of any kind. The only reason the family had to give up Scooter is because when the dad passed, the mom couldn't afford to keep up with everything, and when she moved with her parents to Florida, they couldn't bring him along. He's nothing but an old soul that prefers a good cuddle and a lie in. I've come close to fighting to adopt him myself."

They spoke for a while longer and before they knew it, Denise was gone and Olivia, Fitz, and Madison were unpacking the tub Olivia had brought in as Scooter looked on excitedly. Olivia had been hiding everything Denise had told her they would need for the pup for some time now and she was excited they were able to unpack it all together and set up his things and get him used to the house for the rest of the day. Olivia looked on as Madison, Fitz and Scooter played on the living room floor as though they had done this everyday for the past year. Fitz was admittedly concerned with leaving Madison alone with Scooter so soon, and when it was time for bed, they bid Madison goodnight before bringing the dog into their room to sleep on the animal bed they'd placed at the foot of their bed.

"You think he needs to go to the bathroom?" Liv said watching the dog whine at their closed bedroom door.

"We just took him out, he probably just wants to roam the house. Scooter sit, boy. Lay."

Fitz sighed as the commands the dog had obeyed the entire evening seemed foreign to the animal as he ignored him. Looking over at the dog one last time, Fitz started to climb in bed when the dog began barking, clearly wanting to get out.

"No, no, Scooter, stop" Olivia started.

"I got it" Fitz said walking over to the door and opening it.

The second the door was open, Scooter took off out of the room and down the hall to Madison's closed door and began whining. Shocked, Fitz eyed the dog, wondering what he could possibly want from Madison's room, and hoping that he didn't regret it, he slowly opened the door and watched him move to the left side of the bed where Madison lay dead to the world, and plop himself down on the floor.

"What's going on?"

Fitz turned to see Liv standing at the door and moved to the side so that she was able to see what the dog was doing.

"That's what he wanted?" She asked seeing the dog now content on the floor beneath where their daughter slept.

"Apparently."

"Looks like you're no longer her only protector."

Fitz wrapped his arm around Olivia, smiling at what she said. He didn't mind that at all.

Fitz's eyes immediately darkened as they trailed over his wife's body as she walked towards him from their bedroom. Her midnight blue dress hugged her curvy body like a glove. The satin material was soft and shiny, with the sides scrunched together, leaving the middle, front and back with smaller ridges, coming just few inches above her knees. Fitz had the perfect view of her toned legs, making them seemingly longer with the silver strappy heels she wore. The dress had a perfect square neckline that accentuated her cleavage, making Fitz want to skip directly to last part of their evening.

Gathering her up in his arms, Fitz held Olivia against him tightly lifting her just inches off the ground. He smirked when she let out a yelp. "You look extremely hot babe. I mean beautiful, sexy, gorgeous, seductive, everything. You sure you don't want to just skip to the end of the night festivities Livvie"

"Not a chance! This is our night to celebrate your birthday! I shared you with everyone on your birthday, especially our stingy daughter and the dog and now I want you to myself for the night. I plan to go out on an actual date with my very handsome, extremely sexy husband" Olivia brushed her lips against his, immediately allowing him to deepen their mantra.

Sitting her back down on her feet, Fitz handed her the small clutch, before grabbing her free hand. "Let's get out of here woman"

They drove through the streets listening to music and making small talk and when the car neared the west end of downtown, Fitz glanced over at Olivia who had insisted on driving since she was the one that made the reservations.

"Babe, this is Aldo's" Fitz said somewhat shocked.

"Yea, I know" she stared at him, wondering if he thought she'd actually forget about the place.

"We've never had dinner here before"

"I know, that's exactly why we're here now. Fitz, stop. I know what this place is. I could never forget that night. It was by far one of the worst planned dates I've ever been on, but it was also one of the best nights I've had with you"

_Olivia sipped from a glass of ice cold water while she paced the small kitchen in Abby's house. The perspiration from the glass had her once again nervously wiping the access water on a small hand towel before glancing out the blinds again. She started back towards her bedroom to check on Madison and Abby when there was a knock on the front door that caused her to stop abruptly._

_She wasn't expecting anyone besides Fitz, and had told him to simply honk the horn when he arrived so she could come down. She looked through the peep hole and grinned when she saw her guy standing there._

_Opening the door, she took a step forward when his arms opened to invite her in for a hug._

"_Hi Livvie" he whispered in her ear. "You ready to spend the evening with me?"_

"_As long as I'll put up with you I guess" She shoved him away before turning to grab her purse and cover up. Fitz smiled and moved out the door as she followed him out to the car. _

_It was only twenty-five minutes later when Fitz parked his car into a parking spot in the lot of Aldo's Ristorante Italiano. Olivia waited for Fitz to open her door before the two made their way to the front entrance of the fancy restaurant. _

"_Ooh, I hope we can sit out on the Veranda, it's so nice out tonight" she smiled at him when he looped his arm through hers._

"_Hello, welcome to Aldo's on this beautiful evening, can I have your reservation name" The tall, thin man that greeted them carried two menus against his arm and had an accent as though he were directly from Italy. His pin straight black hair, caused Olivia's smile spread even more at the experience so far. She really felt as though she was in Italy and she'd barely gotten pass the host. _

_Fitz however glanced nervously at the man, mouth slightly agape hoping that he'd catch his drift, but when he simply looked from him to Olivia, he knew he'd have to speak up._

"_I uh, Livvie I didn't know I had to make a reservation, I saw it online and thought it looked nice" he looked to the man that wore a blank expression, clearly not getting the picture. _

"_Sir, I actually don't have a reservation, I didn't know I was supposed to call ahead. Do you have anything available? It's just the two of us." Fitz had been so excited to actually go out with her on an actual date that he had forgotten to make actual reservations._

"_No reservation, no service" immediately turning away, he placed the menus down and ignored them._

"_But sir could you make one exception?" Olivia placed her hand on his arm, remembering Abby always telling her that she had guys falling over themselves for her, and tried to work said magic on him. Batting her eyes, she spoke softly, "He just proposed to me and with that on his mind he simply forgot to make reservations, just this one time please?" She had switched over the ring she wore on her index finger to her fourth one and held up her hand for the man to see. She hoped he wouldn't see past through her lie._

"_No!" the accent they heard was definitely fake and his over dramatics would have been comical if he'd just bent the rules and allowed them in._

_Olivia grabbed a hold on Fitz's hand, pulling him out the front door and back out to the car. _

"_Livvie, I'm so sorry. I swear I wanted this night to be perfect, I should've checked. I'm so stupid, dammit!" _

"_Hey, quit that! You're not stupid, it's fine. We can just go someplace else"_

"_Livvie, I want to take you someplace nice. You've seen the strip, all the nice places have full lots, there's no way in hell we're gonna get into anywhere. This night was supposed to be perfect"_

_Seeing the defeated look on his face and in his posture, Olivia lead him to the passenger's side of the car and forced him in. "Okay" she said getting in to the drives seat. "I'm I charge now. I will take us where I want to go and you just relax. This is my turf now."_

"_No reservations" she started laughing, "amateur move, Grant." he chuckled when she elbowed him before backing out of the parking lot and driving away._

Olivia grabbed a hold of Fitz's arm as they walked towards the hostess.

"Reservation for Grant please" Fitz winked at Olivia, before looking back at the woman in front of them.

"Right this way Mr. and Mrs. Grant. I'm happy to inform you of our new "Seafood Italiano" evening spread. Our entire menu consists of fresh seafood for your enjoyment."

"The entire menu tonight? Seafood?" Olivia immediately envisioned herself in front of a toilet at the thought of eating seafood at this moment. Fitz wanted Italian and she had been craving it all week once she made the reservations. She, especially her stomach, was not feeling seafood tonight.

The lady smiled brightly, not reading the near devastated look across Olivia's face, "The entire menu" she gleefully exclaimed before bringing her fingers to her lips and kissing them with a "mwah!" following.

They sat down at their table and as Olivia picked up the menu, scanning over options that didn't have an abundance of seafood, Fitz eyed her, knowing that she wasn't expecting this menu tonight.

Even though she tried to ignore it, Olivia could feel Fitz's eyes on her. She didn't want to ruin the plans they had for the night, and didn't want to leave it to him to comfort her and make the night right. She was taking her husband out for his birthday and she would make sure they had a damn good time.

"Livvie, I say we leave."

"No sir, why would we do that?" she asked putting on a brave face and smiling at him.

"Your poker face doesn't work on me. I know you Livvie. I can tell you're not feeling the seafood thing tonight, so let's go. As long as I get to spend tonight with you, that's all that matters."

"But where should we go?"

"I think my birthday is a good excuse to ditch a fancy outing and go to our favorite bowling alley. You up for some beer, and wings?" The smirk was not only on his face, but hers as well as she eyed him.

"You bet your ass I am Grant"

This would be a repeat of the last time they tried to eat at Aldo's.

Fitz and Olivia were overdressed walking into the crowded, nearly worn down Bowling Alley, but they could smell the fun as soon as they walked in. It took a good fifteen minutes of hugging, kissing, and passing playful words to the others ears before they were assigned a lane and got their shoes.

"Okay, I'll go get the drinks and wings, and you, my intelligent, big-brained wife go get that stupid computer name thing working."

"My big brain is a good thing" she shoved him away from her with one hand before walking away, knowing and liking the fact that he was certainly watching her.

When Fitz returned, Olivia had her shoes on and was bending over the computer typing in Fitz's name to start. He sat in the chair behind her captivated by the view he had. He'd never deny the feeling his wife could bring out of him without even trying and the view she was giving him now was spectacular.

Forgetting about his surroundings, Fitz moved himself behind Olivia, feeling her slightly tense before realizing it was him then moved his hands to her hips before kissing her neck. "I think you should let me change that name you're putting in"

Turning her body around, she was still leaned back in a somewhat uncomfortable position, but stared at Fitz with a sly look on her face.

"Oh yea? What should I change it to?"

"A-S-S. " He spelled out. "I love your ass, Livvie. It's perfect and you are such a tease because you know what it does to me to be around you and spot that ass. It makes me want to just have you completely alone, locked in a room, doing _really_ dirty things to you."

"There's kids here you know" the random voice reprimanding the couple made Olivia push Fitz further away from him, and turn completely away from him. It took longer than expected to get her temperature back to normal and to rid the flush her cheeks carried.

Fitz had been up by only six points when Olivia came over with both hands full of beaker shots with different flavors of the sweet drink they were serving tonight. "Thank you for being designated driver tonight babe" she smiled downing two at a time. She had insisted on driving tonight, but Fitz told her that he didn't mind at all and wanted her to have fun and drink. "Damn, that's yummy. It's seriously like juice Fitz! I could drink like twenty of these things" she moved to head back to the bar area before Fitz grabbed a hold of her waist stopping her.

"Not gonna happen woman. I think it's safe to say you've had enough of those and it's time to go." Grabbing her around the waist, he sat her down and changed out their shoes before leaving.

"I'm fine, but I do need you to take me home and fuck me good" she growled, licking the shell of his ear.

Stumbling into the house, Fitz paused as Olivia ran past him without a word and went into their bathroom. He made his way slowly to the bedroom, figuring that she'd run off with a purpose. Standing outside the bathroom door, he took a step back when she came out wearing her thick, fluffy robe.

"You're teasing me, Livvie. It's mean," Fitz spoke in a deep voice.

Olivia grabbed his hand and walked him over to the bed before pushing him down and sitting on his lap. Taking his hands in hers, she brought his arms around her waist before leaning back into his chest.

"Trust me, that's not mean," Olivia said with a mischievous smile. Moving from his lap, she went to the middle of their bed on her knees in front of him. Slowly and flirtatiously, Olivia undid the knot of her bathrobe before opening it up and sliding it down. Afterward, she pulled the two clips out of her hair to let her straight, dark tresses fall to her shoulders. She smiled when she saw Fitz's eyes staring at her with a mixture of pure lust and unmasked desire.

"What is that?" he choked out.

"This, my dear husband, is your birthday present that you can either stare at it or take it off of me." Livvie stated. "Do you like it?" All Fitz could do was nod. That white, lace Babydoll flyaway was enough to make him blow his fuse right then. A good amount of her breasts and flat stomach were exposed. And the panties were so tiny that they just barely left anything to the imagination.

"So, were you planning on seducing me tonight?" he smirked.

"Pretty much. Anything for my husband." She whispered smiling. She then moved so that she was back in his lap straddling him. Her hands ran up the taut muscles of his back as she started to kiss his neck. "But the real question is, are you gonna take this thing off?" Fitz's own hands slid up her thighs before grabbing her ass and pulling her body tighter against his.

"Fuck yes." he laughed as he started leaving fiery kisses of his own on her flesh. Olivia moved her head back to give him more access. He kissed his way up before claiming her lips. It wasn't long before she found herself lying back on the mattress with Fitz's weight on top of her. She wrapped her legs around him to bring him closer. They both groaned when their lower bodies pressed together. Olivia's breathing became ragged as Fitz kissed his way down her form.

"This is definitely the best thing you've ever worn," Fitz commented as he paid her cleavage special attention. Her hands wound through his hair as she arched against him.

"Actually, I did have heels to go with this ensemble," she mentioned offhandedly.

"Screw the heels," he stated before working his way back up to her mouth. "You don't need them." Liv started to laugh but then gasped as she felt one of Fitz's hands slide down her body. A moment later, he was tantalizingly stroking the lower part of her anatomy. Her grip on his shoulders tightened while kissing him more aggressively. Her body felt so hot. It was almost as if every nerve inside of her was fizzling.

"Fitz," she whimpered when he started nipping at the sensitive spots on her neck. Meanwhile, his fingers continued to rub into her center. Liv's need for him only heightened in response.

"Damn, you are so fucking sexy, baby." Fitz mumbled. His other hand started to undo the knot in the front of her top that was holding it up. It was then quickly discarded to the floor. Liv's hand traveled down to his boxers and snapped the band to let him know she wanted them off. He took the hint a second later. He moved back on top of her afterward. The only thing remaining was her panties. Olivia groaned when his fingers started to tease her all over again.

"Now who's being mean?" she questioned. Fitz smirked in response. He could tell just by her voice that she was getting really frustrated. Personally, Fitz wanted to just take her already. But the sight of his Livvie becoming completely undone before him really turned him on even more.

"You look a little flustered, Livvie," he whispered huskily in her ear before taking her earlobe between his teeth.

"Come on, Fitz," she pled. Her eyes were shut tightly as she tried to keep her cool, but her body seemed to be acutely sensitive to his touch in that one area at the moment. "This is torture."

"Well, I'm enjoying it," he smirked while pushing on her harder. At that, Liv's eyes snapped open.

"Fitzgerald Grant, I swear, if you don't cut that shit out and make love to me right now, I'm never having sex with you again," she declared forcefully. _A woman can only take so much!_ In less than a minute, Fitz quickly pulled her panties completely off before plunging inside of her. He was definitely not going to challenge that threat.

Their mouths passionately fused together as their lower bodies followed their own rhythm. Fitz reveled in the feeling of being connected to Olivia. The last time they'd been together was in the laundry room three days ago. Madison had been running around the house like a wild child, not leaving them a moment to themselves. Fitz had no shame in following his wife into the laundry room, and taking her quickly against the washing machine. As hot and thrilling as it had been, they didn't have much time to really soak up the feeling of being with each other. This time, Fitz was going to make up for that. He took his time hitting all the right spots with just the right amount of force. He felt a shiver run up his spine when Liv's nails dug into his back. It didn't even hurt. Knowing the affect he was having on her just made him more excited.

Liv's face was buried in Fitz's neck as she desperately tried to keep the moans of pleasure from slipping out. No one was home, but she tried to control herself anyway knowing she needed to get better at it. They awaited and dreaded the day their lovemaking would wake their daughter from her peaceful sleep.

Fitz pulled away from her slightly so that he could take full possession of her mouth. He knew she was trying to be quiet, but there was no reason to. They were finally alone with no family, friends, or little ears that could possibly listen in. Fitz quickly pushed that out of his mind. His pace had sped up as he felt his need to possess his wife more, fully take hold. He could feel both her and himself getting close to falling over the edge.

Olivia held onto Fitz tighter and kissed him more forcefully. With each thrust, Fitz seemed to be going deeper and deeper inside of her. She definitely felt like she was going to explode soon. Sure enough, her pleasure reached its pinnacle. Despite her best efforts to be silent, it proved impossible in that moment. Fitz's mouth may have been covering hers, but it didn't completely drown out the loud moan she made—or him groaning her name. He collapsed next to her on the bed as he tried to get his breathing under control after the high he'd just experienced. Liv's head rested on his shoulder, doing the same. After another minute, he finally pulled her into his arms and laid a gentle kiss on the crown of her head.

"You… are the best…. Birthday gift I could ever need."

Olivia didn't say anything afterwards, just pulled herself tighter into his body, needing to be closer to him.

"I love you Fitz…" Olivia was cut short by the sound of her cell ringing from the clutch she had discarded on the floor earlier. She didn't want to move, but the ringtone was the one she had chosen for Abby and there was only one reason she'd be calling her tonight. She rolled out from Fitz' embrace and grabbed the phone before sliding her finger across the screen to answer it.

Holding up a finger to Fitz, she balanced the phone between her shoulder and head before slipping her robe back on and leaving the room. Fitz let out a sigh, hating that their moment was ruined but figuring it had to be for a good reason. He went into the bathroom to clean himself off and could hear the chime that signaled one of their doors had opened, and within seconds, another one chimed signaling the door being closed. When he came out of the bathroom, Olivia was on her knees in the middle of the bed wearing the dress shirt he had discarded no more than fifteen minutes ago with one hand hidden behind her back.

As he walked closer to her, he noticed her tear stained face and was in front of her immediately.

"Baby, what's wrong? Who was on the phone? Is it Mads?"

Olivia hated that he was worried and stopped him before he could ask another question.

"No, Fitz everything is fine. I uh, I'm okay, I promise. I just have one more gift for you."

Fitz wiped her tears away before leaning forward and kissing her lips. "What could you possibly give me that tops tonight?"

Olivia didn't say anything, instead she brought her hand from behind her back, handing him a large envelope. She watched him take the thick papers out and the red stamp that spelled out the word "APPROVED" caused his eyes to move back and forth between Olivia and the papers. As he flipped through the many pages, Olivia could see the tears filling his eyes, and her own spilled down her cheeks once again. When he reached the final page, Fitz saw four signatures. His, Olivia's, Abby's and the final one was the judge that had finalized their adoption.

Tears spilled down Fitz's cheeks and he clutched the papers in his hands, as he looked up at Olivia whose face was a replica of his.

"It's done, baby."

Fitz nodded his head and brought one hand around Olivia's waist, squeezing her body to his in a tight embrace.

"It's done… She's yours, Fitz."

"She's mine."

_Madison Olivia Grant was officially adopted._


	15. Chapter 14

**Hi guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Dedicated to Mo- KWsGladiator. She helped me a great deal with a certain Madison scene **** Enjoy.**

"I don't wanna go. Don't make me go, Daddy."

"Toots, you will be okay, it'll be just like before."

"Daddy, I don't want to go." Her face was pouty and she refused to look at her mother's direction, knowing she was fighting a losing battle by begging her mother anymore than she already had.

Fitz looked over at Olivia and cringed at her no-nonsense, stern face that left no room for debate on the subject.

"Madison Olivia Grant…" she began but stopped the second she saw her daughter's face light up.

It was no secret that Madison adored her new name and she had been ecstatic when she learned she had a new name just like her mommy did and the fact that it matched her daddy's made her even happier. Olivia sighed, seeing that the name made her happy when she wasn't going for that reaction, instead she was trying to be stern. She figured it would take a couple more weeks before the whole new last name thing wore off.

"Madison, we need to leave sweetie, mommy doesn't have time for this, now let's go before we're both late."

"Liv.."

"Fitz, if we don't leave now to drop her off, I'm going to be late for my meeting and I can't be late."

"I can drop her off if you want."

"No, I'm going to be there, I want to be there on her first day, we just need to get moving now."

Olivia was snappy but she couldn't help herself. She was in a foul mood and hadn't been feeling well the past few days. Madison hadn't been helpful either with her demands that morning. Olivia had given into her daughter's whinny plea of changing her hair style three different times, her outfit twice which ended up in the little girl dressing herself, and before Olivia gave herself the chance to discipline her bratty child, she left breakfast in the capable hands of her father. She waited for the second her husband had gotten out of the shower, greeted him with a warm, inviting kiss then forcibly told him, "Grant, get your kid before I put her on eBay and sell her to the highest bidder." He had smiled and nodded his head knowing that when Olivia got fed up with their daughter's behavior, it usually had more to do with her own mood than Madison's actions. She had taken care of the little girl long enough to know how to deal with her mildly bratty side, so if she wasn't up for handling it on her own, it was something she mentally or physically didn't feel like handling and that was okay. That's why he was there; he would love and take care of them both.

So now, as they stood in Madison's bedroom watching the little girl destroy her freshly made bed and burrow under the covers, Olivia wanted to either scream or cry but neither of those would fix their situation. She glanced at the watch on her wrist and sighed. She combed her fingers through her hair, moving the curls from her back and putting the soft hair over one shoulder. She felt like the time she'd spent on her hair that morning was a complete waste of time that she could've spent preparing her daughter for the day.

"Babe, I really need to go or I'm going to be late. Can you take care of this? I really can't wait any longer."

"Yea, go ahead, I've got her. Have a good meeting. I love you." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, not wanting to take away from the color that stained her lips.

"Love you too. Baby, I'll see you later, Mommy's gotta go."

Her heels clicked on the floor and it wasn't until Madison heard the door chime that she scrambled from the covers, wanting her mom to stay. Olivia could hear her calling her name even as she got into the car and opened the garage door, wincing as she ignored her, wondering if this "lesson" she felt she was teaching Madison was even appropriate. According to all the classes she'd taken on child development and such in school, it wasn't the best thing, but right now it's what would be done. Next time she would listen to her mother's constant pleas for her to get ready and out of the house.

Meanwhile, as Olivia pulled off to go to her school, Fitz kneeled in front of a weeping Madison and wiped at her tears, hating how upset she was. Scooter sat obediently next to him, watching his young master cry and whined in response.

"Daddy, will mommy come back? I will listen now."

"Mads you will see mommy later, but she had to go to work, sweetie. She told you that and you didn't listen. I need you to wear your listening ears for mommy okay? It makes me sad when you don't obey, baby girl."

She nodded solemnly and Fitz pulled her into a hug before lifting her up and walking them into her bathroom to clean her tear-stained face.

"Now I know you're nervous about your new class, but I need you to be brave okay? You're gonna have a good day, and we will both see you later. Can you be a good listener now and grab your backpack so we can leave?"

Nodding her head, Madison walked to the living room with Scooter following her and picked up her backpack before walking to the garage door.

"Bye Scoots, I have to go to school, but I'll be back later." She kissed his face and hugged his neck before she saw her daddy coming with a thermos of coffee in his hands. They loaded up the car and as usual, from her car seat, Madison turned to wave at the dog as he watched them pull away at the window.

Olivia sat in the back of the auditorium bouncing her knee as she peeked at her phone that was hidden between a stack of papers and her thigh. She had been silently scolded when she walked into their meeting late, and had taken the closest seat that she could find. She'd tried her best to pay attention to the words coming from their superintended that was visiting their school district this week, but her thoughts were focused on Madison and how their morning was going. Olivia hated the fact that she missed dropping her off at school and felt extremely guilty. She wanted to share that moment with Fitz and hated that she had to run out, but knew that there wasn't anything she could do about it. They had gone to Madison's "Meet the Teacher" night at school just two days prior, and even though her daughter was surprisingly shy, it made Olivia feel not as bad about her absence that morning. But now, nearly two hours later as she sat there with her colleagues, she wondered why she hadn't heard from Fitz, and if the drop off went okay. It took everything in her to not text Quinn and beg her to check on Madison, but she knew she had her own group of new students that had parents probably emailing her for updates on their babies.

Olivia jumped when her phone vibrated on her lap, causing the papers to fall along with her iPhone on the tiled floor. All eyes were on her and she felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment as she cleaned up the mess.

"Mrs. Pope, is everything okay back there? Are we boring you?"

"No sir, everything is fine, just a small accident." Olivia didn't bother correcting the superintended of her new name. She knew he'd read the tag she was wearing and her own faculty was to blame for forgetting her married name.

He nodded once and carried on, while Olivia checked her phone after seeing that the text was from Fitz.

_Sorry baby, just got done clearing the board and about to meet with SmellieMellie ;)Text you when I'm out. Mads was ok, I wish you could've been there. I nearly brought her to work with me but stayed strong. If I didn't have this meeting I would go have lunch with her but that might make things worse anyway. Still think we should check on her. Love you._

Her emotions immediately took over and she felt tears build up in her eyes, imagining her daughter having a hard time adjusting to the new environment and she, as her mother wasn't there to comfort her. If she were honest with herself, she had to admit that she wasn't the biggest fan of her new teacher, Mrs. Houser and wanted so badly to request a classroom change but wasn't sure how well that would go over. Picking up her phone, she adjusted her leg to hide her quickly moving fingers and responded to his text.

_I hate that. I really should have been there with you guys. If I can, I'm gonna cut out and go see her. Love you._

_She'd love that. Chat when I'm done. Ily2._

Olivia sighed and put her phone down, trying her best to pay attention for the remainder of the meeting.

Fitz sat down in Mellie's office, purposely leaving the door open, before flipping open his planner and taking out his phone and opening his calendar.

"I know that I said I would make this quick and I will Fitz because I have to leave for an insurance meeting upstairs. I know that I said it wouldn't be so soon, but I'm going to have to make it a bit sooner than we expected. Our team will be leaving the second weekend in October…"

"The second weekend?"

"Yes, and I really hope that this will not be a problem. I overlooked the fact that you missed the last mandatory meeting and if I'm being honest, I'll say that you're lucking out. This one will be a lot simpler and nothing but a couple of sessions."

Fitz groaned inwardly, loving how she was still milking the conference that he'd left.

"If it's not a huge deal, is my presence really mandatory?"

"Fitzgerald, I really don't want this to be a difficult trip for either of us. Be a team player. Besides you can honestly look at this trip as a paid vacation because there are exactly three sessions that we have to attend. I'm teaching one and need you to assist me and the other two you will sit in on. So there will be plenty of downtime, trust me. You should be thanking me, honestly."

Fitz nodded his head before jotting down the dates and stuffing his phone back into his pocket, thoughts of exactly how to make this into a paid vacation filling his head.

Olivia signed her name across the thin line on the sign-in sheet at the front office before she unpeeled her visitors tag and stuck it on her blouse so that it was visible. She walked down the hall towards the Garden hall, quickly peeking her head into Quinn's class to see if she was there and when she noticed that her class was also out for recess, she followed the path to the playground..

As she stepped outside, Olivia noticed the three different classrooms running wild on the two playgrounds. Some kids were riding bikes on the path, while others were drawing on the blacktop with sidewalk chalk. She took a second to picture what her daughter had worn that morning, and once a visual popped into her head, the curly headed girl was easy to find. Olivia's heart immediately sank as she found Mrs. Houser kneeled in front of her daughter with a no nonsense look on her face. She looked slightly to the left of the teacher again and had to fight back tears when she saw how upset her daughter clearly was.

Madison sat on the ground with her limbs wound tightly around Quinn's leg, as she stood bent over trying to calm the little girl down. She stood silently for a moment and watched as Quinn managed to pry Madison from her leg, before picking her up, walking over to a covered area that had benches, and sitting down with her in her lap. Madison immediately burrowed her face into the crook of her old teacher's neck, as Quinn rocked back and forth. Quinn began rubbing soothing circles on Madison's back as she continued to whisper in her ear. Olivia loved watching Quinn with Madison. She was always so good to her and seeing the two of them interact caused a smile to momentarily form on Liv's face. That is until she remembered that Quinn was comforting her daughter for a reason.

Finally having had enough time observing,Olivia immediately made her way towards Quinn and took a seat next to her. Instead of speaking to her daughter, she listened to the conversation that was still going on.

"I want you to be my teacher, Ms. Quinn"

"I know sweetie, and I miss you but you have a new teacher now." Quinn's heart was breaking. She had encountered this with other students, but now that it was Mads, she had to fight back her own tears.

"I don't want a new teacher! I want you!" Madison whimpered before a new set of tears began to soak through Quinn's blouse.

"I know sweetie but you're four now, a big girl. When you're four, you go to a new class and get to learn new things and do big girl things."

"I don't wanna be a big girl anymore. I wanna be in your class again Miss Quinn! I don't wanna be in a new class."

Quinn saw Liv open her mouth to speak and shook her head no. Her eyes were begging Liv to give her just a few more minutes, to which she nervously complied. Quinn nodded slightly in thanks, both women clearly forgetting the teacher who was standing by, observing the scene before her with a slight scowl on her face.

"You're the best big girl I know, so I want you to stay a big girl. You keep growing and getting bigger and smarter and I'm always gonna be around and you can always see me when we're not at school as long as it's ok with your mom and dad." Quinn began, completely unready for what was about to follow.

"I want my daddy! My daddy won't make me stay here! I wanna call my daddy now!" Madison said just before falling into a fit of hysterical sobs. Her arms slid tighter around Quinn's neck, almost cutting off her oxygen completely. Liv was mortified that her daughter was behaving in such a manner, and was about to speak up when…

"Mommy. I want my Mommy" Madison whimpered as her wailing came to an immediate halt.

"Mommy's here baby girl. Come talk to me." Liv responded, trying her best to keep her tone even. She knew Madison had her moments, but she wasn't _this_ girl. Not since…

Madison slowly eased the grip her tiny arms had around Quinn's neck, something the woman was clearly thankful for. She looked over to where Liv was sitting, but didn't completely let go of Quinn until she realized her mommy was really there. The moment her brain registered what she was seeing was real, Madison dove into her mother's arms, almost knocking the wind out of her.

"Mommy can you make Miss Quinn my teacher again? Pleeeeeeeease!?" Madison began to whine as more tears began to fall.

Olivia took a few moments to gather her thoughts before responding "Mads, we've talked about this. Daddy and I are so proud of the big girl that you are becoming and we want you to continue to grow as beautifully as you are now. That means you will have a new teacher every year who will continue to help you to grow and be the best big girl in the world."

"But I don't wanna be smart and I don't wanna be big! I wanna see daddy. Can we go see daddy, mommy? I want my daddybe the best big smaring " dove into her mother'ive her kistto fight back her own tearCan we pleeeease go see daddy, mommy!"

Liv looked at her watch and realized that Fitz was due to take his lunch around now. She pulled her iPhone out of her bag, and started a FaceTime request with him, praying he answered.

A few seconds later, Fitz's bright smile flooded the screen. The moment he noticed his clearly upset daughter, her face covered with tears and snot, his heart sank. His eyes moved back and forth between what he could see of Liv's face and Madison, and his furrowed eyebrows, as the worry began to sink in.

"Hey best girl, what's going on?" He asked as he was trying to gauge what was wrong with his daughter. _Was she hurt? Was someone picking on her?_ All Fitz could focus on was how something was obviously upsetting his "best girl", and he didn't know how to fix it. He noticed her chewing on her hair, and come to think of it, she hadn't done this since…

"Daddy! I wanna go home with you and mommy! I don't wanna be a big girl! I just wanna be the best girl and I want Miss Quinn to be my teacher again. Can you fix it daddy?" Madison began to wail and Fitz's heart sank at how upset she was. He was hoping, praying even that Liv would help him out with this, but she hadn't even so much as shown her entire face just yet. He knew that meant Mads needed him more right now.

"Tell daddy what's going on Mads. Don't you like the kids in your class? I know some of them were your classroom friends in Miss Quinn's class."

"I want Miss Quinn!" Mads shouted, causing Fitz to quickly catch himself before lashing out at his daughter. He knew she was upset, but Madison knew yelling at anyone, especially her parents was a no-no.

"Mads, I want you to be a big girl for me. Can you do that? Daddy is so proud of you when you do your best and shine like the big girl you are becoming. Can you do that for me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

Fitz noticed that Mads kept looking up from the screen, but he couldn't understand why. Whatever was bothering her was definitely not going to be revealed right now. He wanted to fix this for his little girl but he honestly couldn't until he understood exactly what he was up against.

"Mads, is Miss Quinn still with you?" He asked and Madison nodded her head yes. "Ok. Can you sit with Miss Quinn for a moment while I talk to mommy?" She nodded again and instead of blowing Fitz a kiss, she bowed her head as Quinn scooped her up, holding her in her lap once again. Once Madison was settled, Liv walked off a slight way but not too far so Madison could still see her. Once she was at a safe distance, she raised the phone so Fitz could finally see her entire face.

"Hi." She breathed, finally feeling a sense of calm washing over her. He always had a way of calming her down without saying a word.

"Hi." He replied, giving her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"This is bad Fitz. She hasn't acted like this since…"

"Jake." Fitz filled in the gap.

"What do we do? She clearly won't calm down, and I have to go back to work."

"Sign her out, but let her know it is only for today. I'll call my mom. She'd be happy to watch Mads. She said she'd be home all day so I don't think we'd be interrupting anything."

"But is that best Fitz? I mean, she has to get used to being in this class. We can't just show her that acting like this will get her, her way every time."

Fitz could tell she was conflicted. He knew her first instinct was to take her home and keep her safe, but she also wanted to be a good mommy and give her daughter the courage to overcome her worries and fears. He felt the same way too, and there was no right or wrong answer in this moment. Especially when neither of them knew what the problem was their daughter's behavior was completely out of character and they really needed to do everything they could to find out what was going on with her.

"Just for today. Something is clearly wrong, much more than we understand and Madison will not open up right now. She most certainly won't be able to learn like this. Just sign her out and take her to my parent's house."

"Okay."

"Okay?" Fitz asked, clearly shocked that there was no argument to follow.

"Okay. You're daddy and if you think I should sign her out then okay. It's not just my call. I trust you, so I'll sign her out for the day."

"Keep me posted and I'll check up on her while she's with mom. I love you."

"I love you too."

Olivia made her way over to her daughter and held her hands out for her, which she immediately complied and forced herself into her mother's awaiting arms.

"Thank you for helping with her. I'm gonna take her with me and we'll try to figure this all out tonight once Fitz gets in."

"Let me know how it goes. It's so unlike her so it worries me. If I could keep her with me, you know I would."

Quinn rubbed her hand up and down Madison's back, completely forgetting, but also not caring that Mrs. Houser was listening to them speak as though she wasn't there.

"I know Quinn. Thanks again. Thank you Mrs. Houser. We will try for a better day tomorrow." Olivia gave a small wave before Quinn let her into the building where she grabbed Madison's things before signing her out.

Once she buckled her into the car seat, Olivia answered the text that had come through from Catherine saying that she would meet Olivia halfway to her house and that she was on her way.

"Toots, you're gonna go spend the rest of the day with Grammy, and I'll pick you up later, okay?"

She barely acknowledged her mother, but nodded her head before leaning it on the side of her booster seat, her eyes slowly closing, exhaustion catching up to her.

When Fitz pulled into the garage and made his way into the house, he inhaled the scent of lasagna that his wife perfected and he was happy to bring a small contribution to dinner in the form of cheesy garlic bread he had picked up on the way home.

"Where are my best girl and best wife?" Fitz bellowed walking through the laundry room, stooping down as Scooter greeted him immediately. "Hey boy, how's your day going?" he asked scratching his head before patting his side a few times and standing up straight. Leaving the laundry room, Fitz immediately made his way towards their bedrooms, calling out for them again before Olivia finally answered him.

"We are in here, Fitz."

By the time she was finished saying his name, Fitz had already turned around and started towards the living room.

"Hi" His voice was quiet, matching the atmosphere of the room. _Rapunzel_ was playing on the large tv over the fireplace, as Olivia sat on the couch with Madison also sitting, but on a small stool in between her mother's thighs. A towel was draped over her lap, and her fingers moved skillfully through Madison's damp hair. Fitz leaned down to kiss the top of Olivia's head before doing the same thing to Madison. Her head was leaned against her mother's knee while she finished up the large braid on the left side of her head.

"Daddy's gonna change clothes, then I'll be right back."

She didn't say anything, but she picked her head up and watched him walk out of the living room before giving into her mother's gentle touch when she redirected her head down. Olivia knew that Madison was itching to be in Fitz's arms and she hoped that he didn't get done before she would be done with the last three braids she planned to do.

They had both insistently checked on Madison throughout the rest of the day while she was with Catherine and although she was definitely in better spirits, the little girl constantly requested to see her daddy. Olivia knew there were two reasons Madison wanted her daddy so much; one, if mommy couldn't fix it, then she just knew her daddy could, and two, she just needed him to hold her. Olivia had noticed early on when she'd finally brought Madison around Fitz, that her daughter craved being in his arms. In his arms she felt safe, happy, brave, and Olivia knew it had to do with the adoration and encouragement he'd always given the little girl. She felt like she could do anything with her daddy around.

Olivia was making a part on the side of Madison's head when she heard Fitz coming back down the hall and into the living room.

"Did you want me to put the bread in?"

"Umm, the lasagna is just about done, when the timer goes off if you could just switch them out that would be great."

He nodded once before sitting down directly in front of Madison on the floor, facing her. He didn't say anything, just reached out and grabbed a hold of her tiny hands and kissed both of them. Her doe eyes would glance back and forth between the movie and Fitz's eyes, never staying on the movie for too long.

When Olivia was done securing the ends of her four braids, she removed the towel from around Madison's shoulders before whispering in her ear, "go see daddy."

The little girl wasted no time barreling into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms wound tightly around his neck.

"Hi daddy"

"Hi best girl"

Fitz placed a hand behind him and pushed himself up to stand and swayed for a few moments while holding Madison close. He watched as Olivia went to tend to the bread and lasagna, and once her eyes finally met his, he gestured for her to come over. She came over and sat down on the couch, and Fitz followed suit before unwrapping Madison from around his body and sitting her down sideways so the both of them could see her and she could see them.

"Madison," Fitz started hoping the words he needed to say would just come to him. That those fatherly instincts that usually kicked in would resurface and somehow make this issue seems trivial because his words would make things better.

That didn't happen.

Seeing the way her husband was struggling to come up with right words to say, Olivia jumped in and began speaking to Madison.

"Can you tell us what happened at school that made you sad today? I know that you don't want a new teacher, but I need you to tell us what you don't like about your teacher."

Madison held Olivia's gaze while her hand tugged on one of her braids, inching the hair closer to her mouth before Fitz's words stopped her.

"Mommy just put cream on your hair baby, it's gonna taste yucky if you do that."

She stopped what she was doing, before speaking in such a soft voice. "She doesn't care about me"

Both Olivia and Fitz drew their eyebrows together in confusion."

"What do you means, Toots?"

"When Ms. Quinn was my teacher, she loved me a whole lot and was always nice but Mrs. Houser isn't nice like Ms. Quinn and she doesn't smile all the time like Ms. Quinn does. I don't think she cares about me like my teacher's 'sposed to, like you said Mommy."

Madison wasn't stupid. She had been more than prepped for school from her first official days, years ago and every year since. She knew what to expect from her teachers after hearing the words her mother used to describe teachers.

Kind, smiley, funny, happy, gently, loving and the list went on. Madison had been spoiled having Quinn for a teacher and had expected those same qualities from her next teacher and the fact that she didn't receive them, really threw the little girl off. Mrs. Houser was no Ms. Quinn. She was older, used to working with older children, specifically third and fourth graders, and although her ways of teaching might have worked with other students, Madison needed a more nurturing teacher.

"Oh baby, I know she is very different from Ms. Quinn, but I know she cares about all of you. I want you to give her a chance, okay? You teacher loves you, she just needs a little more time to get used to all her student the same way you guys need to get used to her.

Olivia hated the words coming out of her own mouth, but knew she had no choice but to keep with the classroom they had. It was a teacher's job, especially with that age group to understand each child's needs, and adapt to that. Olivia expected a different approach from Mrs. Houser and decided that she would send her an email with tips of helping her daughter adjust and succeed in her classroom.

"So tomorrow we are gonna try your classroom again, and you're gonna stay the full day at school."

"And then you'll come get me?"

She looked at her mother with those beautiful eyes, depending on her and trusting every word that came out of her mouth. Before she realized what she was doing, Olivia grabbed her off of Fitz's lap and brought the little girl into a tight embrace, rubbing her back.

"Yes baby, then mommy will come get you."

Olivia groaned reading the email her principal had just sent her. She was on grounds, but knew the email would go directly to her with the previous replies that Olivia needed to be aware of as well. Over the past few years of teaching, Olivia had been pretty blessed with great, easy students, parents and her overall experience as a teacher was just peachy- until now. Over the past three weeks since school had officially begun, Olivia had noticed one of her students seemed very _off._ If it wasn't his tattered clothes, it was his matted hair. If it wasn't his hair, it was his almost non-existent lunch, and if it wasn't his lunch, it was the distinct stench she noticed coming from him. Musk mixed with alcohol as if he lived in a bar. She was sure to make her principal aware of the situation and after a week or so of closely monitoring him, both Olivia and her principal called CPS to further investigate.

So there she sat reading the email explaining that the caseworker would be there to meet with the two of them afterschool and they were to come prepared with all the documentation of neglect they had been keeping since classes started. Knowing that little Justin didn't deserve whatever treatment or lack thereof he was getting from home, Olivia was more than ready to get her concerns out there and filed, but knew first that she needed to get Fitz on the phone due to the change in schedule. Each day that Olivia went to pick Madison, she would receive a written report from her teacher on how her day had gone and what some highs and lows that she was able to identify. It made leaving her daughter there a lot better, and knowing that she was promised specifics from Mrs. Houser, Olivia was able to look forward to that part of her day.

Moving away from her desk, Olivia noticed her students working in their journals, and then took a step into the hall and motioned to the other second grade teacher, Mrs. Johnston.

"Hey Nicole, can you keep an eye on them for a second? I need to make a call really quick. Five minutes, tops."

"No problem."

"Thanks. Guys, keep working, I'll be right back." Olivia spoke first to her colleague, then her students, as she moved down the hallway while Mrs. Johnston took her place in the middle of the hallway in order to see inside both classrooms.

"Hi gorgeous." Fitz answered on the third ring.

"Hi babe, I just stepped away for a second, but I needed a favor. The caseworkerfor my student I was telling you about wants to meet with us this afternoon once we're dismissed, so I have to stay after and have no clue how long it'll take. The thing is, Mads has a playdate and Len from her class was supposed to come over."

"What time?"

"I'm supposed to pick them both up from school. Maybe I should ask if we can reschedule."

"No, it's fine. Just call her mom up and see if she's okay with me picking her up."

"Fitz, Len is.."

"Livvie, it'll be fine. I need to get used to doing play dates, right? Trust me, I can handle this."

Olivia snickers knowing her husband would be singing a different tune later that evening.

"Okay, I'll keep you posted. I'll text her, but I'm sure Len's mom won't have a problem with you doing pick-up and the playdate. But remember babe, this is Madison's best friend according to her, so be nice."

"What do you mean? Of course I'll be nice. What could happen to where I wouldn't be nice?"

"Ummm, I think there's been a mistake. This isn't _Lynn_" Fitz said with a confused look on his face as his stood in his daughter's classroom.

"Mr. Grant, I'm not sure I understand. Mrs. Pierce called and assured us that it was okay to release _Lennox_ to you today since Mrs. Grant couldn't make it."

Fitz stared dumfounded at the woman. From the corner of his eye, he could see his daughter holding hands with said _Lennox_ showcasing the biggest smile on her face.

"Okay. Um, you're right, my apologies. Let's get going." He said looking at Madison and her _friend_.

Fitz absentmindedly grabbed the booster seat that had been left for him to use and walked the two kids to his car before making sure they were both securely buckled in. Getting into the driver's seat, he adjusted the mirror to focus on the little boy in his backseat that was staring at his daughter. Without a second thought, he pulled out his phone to send his wife a text before starting home.

"You're gonna pay for this Mrs. Grant."

"Mad's I saved you a seat, babygirl."

"I'm gonna sit with Len, daddy."

"Well if you sit with me, we can share some goldfish. Len is allergic to milk so he can't have any."

"I don't want any. I'm gonna share snacks with Len."

"Are you sure? It's your favorite."

She nodded her head before focusing on her friend.

Fitz groaned and mumbled under his breath when his little girl climbed into the loveseat with the young boy. He had crystal blue eyes and thick dark chocolate hair that was swooped past his eyes. Fitz had first snickered at the little boy he saw in the classroom donning skinny jeans, a bright blue polo shirt and converse, but his smile faded once his daughter had dragged him over to meet him.

The entire car ride home, Fitz was ignored as they talked to each other, cackling at anything the other said.

Now Fitz watched as his little girl sat next to this _friend_ of hers. A _boy_ _their_ _their _movie together. Since when do little boys like _Frozen_ anyway? And she'd given up her favorite snack JUST to share with him?

She was only four years old and had already left him for a texted his wife again.

_Olivia Grant, get your ass home now before I wring this little punk's neck._

When Olivia did make it home, Fitz was waiting for her in the laundry room, pacing back and forth in the medium sized room.

"It took you long enough" he spat out only halfway serious. It was obvious he was in an actual bad mood.

"Fitz, babe it can't be that bad. Lennox is a sweet kid."

"Yea well that _sweet kid_ sure as hell isn't coming over anymore. He's basically got her brainwashed in there, Livvie."

Olivia let her head fall to the side, and stared at him expressionless.

"You're being dramatic Fitzgerald and it's only partially cute."

"Olivia, I just spent the last two hours watching a little boy stare at my daughter while she sang along to Frozen and he didn't blink. And I do mean two full hours because of course we had to rewind the songs that Haans and Anna sang and the ones that Kristoff and Anna sang so they could sing them together, twice! Like what the hell? He's fucking flirting and he's four. I want him gone, and I really want to switch her class now. She's too young for this! I shouldn't be getting gray hair for another ten years for shit like this."

He went on rambling about how he was going to go to the school the next morning and demand to switch his daughter's class. Being so caught up in his own fury that he didn't notice anything his wife was doing until he felt his penis in her soft grip. He looked down at her on her knees staring up at him with the most innocent look on her face. Glancing towards the door that was cracked open, he reached out to push it completely close before his other hand gripped the back of his wife's head.

"Livvie… what..baby stand up.."

"You are so wound up about what's going on in there and you need me to take your mind off of it. Just relax and _release_ baby."

Fitz's head fell back and he leaned back and allowed the washer to keep him steady. He groaned at the feeling of her tongue outlining the thick vein that ran up the side of his penis, his erection growing by the second. She stroked him a few more times, squeezing him in all the right places before he was so hard that it was becoming painful. Olivia glanced up at him and when she saw the pained expression on his face, she dove in and went to work sucking him thoroughly, bobbing her head the way she knew made him weak and sucking his tip just as feverishly. Feeling his pre-cum seep out, Olivia coated her tongue with it before gliding it up and down his penis, then blowing his complete length. It took another two minutes of her tasting and teasing him when Olivia reached around his body and gripped his ass, then pulled him closer, making his engorged penis hit the back of her throat. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she pulled away and repeated the action two more times before Fitz felt her teeth graze his length, forcing him to jerk forward and spill his seed down her throat. She sat still for a moment while he continued to slowly thrust his hips forward, still coming down from his orgasm, before she pulled back and released him from her mouth. Lifting his softening penis one last time, she kissed the tip before fixing his clothes back up and standing up in front of him. She was sure to lick her lips clean of _him_ before pecking the corner of his mouth and finally leaving the room to enter the house.

He was definitely relaxed now.

September seemed to have passed without them knowing and before anyone could question it, October had come around and Fitz and Olivia were excited to celebrate their "New Beginnings" anniversary. They remembered it was just a year ago when they were celebrating their sixth month Anniversary and had flown to New York together and that's when everything changed. While most couples would celebrate anniversaries in years, Fitz and Olivia decided they would celebrate their marriage every year, but they would count that October date as their other anniversary. When Olivia found the charge on their bank statement for a plane ticket to Dallas, she had been confused understanding that the trip was on the hospital until he surprised her with the ticket for her to join him on their trip. While he flew out that morning with his colleagues, she would be flying out late afternoon so she was able to be at work for nearly the entire day. He was told to look at it as though it was a paid vacation and he definitely would, even taking it upon himself to extend their trip by two days. They'd made plans with Abby to keep Madison and the little girl was more than excited to ditch her parents for five days to spend time with her Auntie.

That Thursday evening, Olivia sat in Madison's room packing the rest of her things to go to Abby's while Fitz did bedtime stories in their bedroom. They'd promised their little girl that she could sleep with them that night since they wouldn't see her after she was dropped at school and Abby would get her from school instead of one of them. Fitz had been helpful in packing Madison's clothes, and hair accessories, so Olivia just had a few essentials to pack up before the bag would be put in the car to drop at Abby's before Liv went into work the next morning, wanting their night to be spent cuddling their little girl.

When she finally made her way back into her bedroom, Olivia shook her head at the two loves of her life. Fitz was flat on his back with his legs in the air as Madison laid across his feet with her hands clutching his in a "flying" pose. Every few seconds after prompting, Fitz would let go of her small hand and extend his legs further into the air, sending Madison into a fit of wiggly giggles that would make him quickly lower her and grasp at her hands again.

"It's a good thing daddy is a doctor."

"And why's that?" Fitz asked lowering Madison back onto the bed.

"Because when she breaks a bone you can nurse her back to health." She said laughing while climbing on the bed next to them.

"Daddy, do hot lava!"

Olivia immediately scrunched up her face in confusion, wondering what her daughter could be referring to.

"We like to come up with our own games when you're busy. You're on fall duty." He winked at her before turning over on his stomach and lying still with his hands by his side. He lifted one arm as far as he could at that angle and waited for Madison to grab a hold of his hand before she stepped onto his back and found her balance. He let his arm back down and grinned at the feel of Madison's feet moving up and down on his back, hopping on one foot at a time.

"Look Mommy! Whooaa… whooaa, all this hot lava on daddy is burning my feet so much!" she was so smiley that Liv couldn't help but smile at her little girl. There was just a tiny part of her that wanted to insist they bring her on their trip but she had her reasons. She didn't want her to miss school, Abby would kill her, and she and Fitz needed this time together.

"Can mommy play hot lava?" Liv asked smirking.

Madison spoke up for Fitz and shook her head almost instantly.

"You're too big, you'll hurt daddy's back."

"Excuse me, little missy, I will not."

"Mommy can play hot lava. Hop off baby." Fitz waited until Madison got off of his back before he moved off the bed and lay on the floor. When he was completely still, Olivia stepped onto his back and laughed as she tried to balance herself. She was obviously much heavier than Madison, but Fitz was completely comfortable with her weight standing on him.

"Can I get on too?" Madison asked from atop the bed as she watched them. When Olivia held her hands out to her, Madison slid down the bed and climbed on while holding tightly to her mother's fingers. "We're dancing on you, daddy" she smiled brightly at Olivia before twirling herself around for emphasis.

Only about a minute longer passed before Olivia felt bad for Fitz and they allowed him to stand up straight. He stretched a few times before sending Olivia a small smile that didn't go unnoticed.

"What?"

"Oh nothing. I'm just gonna return the favor this weekend." He said winking before walking into the bathroom.

The next morning both Olivia and Fitz drove separately to Madison's school to see her off and have their goodbyes with her since they wouldn't see her until they returned. They would for sure skype with her before bed every night and talk on the phone, but as much as she was looking forward to spending a few days with her Auntie, Madison was just like any other kid that hated to see her parents go away with her.

"Alright, big hugs, toots." Olivia pulled her close to her, inhaling her precious scent for a few quiet moments before pulling back and planting kisses on her identical lips. "I love you toots, and I'll talk to you later tonight okay? Auntie Abby will pick you up from school and you're gonna have so much fun with her."

She nodded her head quietly, before Fitz lifted her in his arms, giving her the same affection as her mother did. "Love you best girl. Be good okay, and make sure Auntie takes you over to Ms. Quinn's house so you can see Scooter, okay?"

They didn't prolong the goodbyes, knowing it could cause more harm, and walked away once she was in her classroom.

"Ugh, she's perfected that "my parents don't love me enough" look" Olivia whined unlocking her car that was parked next to her husband's.

"She definitely has, but she'll be fine and we will talk to her tonight. Now for you, go to work and I will see you later on today. Let me know when you're boarding and when you land."

"You do the same. I love you" she kissed him gently on the lips before releasing him so that he could head to the airport.

"Ladies and gentlemen, coming to the stage is Madison Olivia Grant!" Abby brought her hands up to cup her mouth before making loud applauding sounds. Seconds later, Madison slowly walked out in a long blue dress that was very big on her, so much that the plunging neckline reached her belly button and the back of the dress had been tied in a knot to keep it from dragging on the ground. On her feet were a pair of bright pink high heels that she'd found in her Auntie's closet, and there were about seven necklaces around her neck of all shapes, colors, and lengths.

"Auntie, I walked all the way in here and didn't fall this time." She bent at the knees before picking up her microphone from the table and looked at the screen of the television. Abby took out her phone, turning on the video and smiled as the small girl sang the memorized lyrics to the Disney soundtrack, periodically looking at the screen as if she were actually reading the words displayed. When the song was over, Abby smothered her face in kisses before grabbing their bowl of goldfish from the counter.

"So short stuff, I hear that you have a boyfriend" Abby looked accusingly at Madison.

"No I don't!" she responded, completely appalled.

"Then who is Lennox?"

"He's just my friend, Auntie. Not my boyfriend. Daddy says I can't have a boyfriend until I graduate at college."

"College?"

"Yes, and I'm not even at Kindergarten yet, so I have a very long time to go."

"You got that right. Well it sounds to me like Lennox might be your boyfriend and let me tell you, I don't like it. Boys only bring trouble, and messes, so listen to your daddy, okay?"

"He didn't like when Len came over to my house. He was being strange but then when mommy came home he wasn't weird anymore."

"Well what happened?"

"They just had some laundry time" she said innocently shrugging her shoulders.

"Laundry time?" her eyebrow quirked up, wondering if that meant what she suspected.

"Sometimes mommy and daddy go to the laundry room and close the door for a little while, but then when they come out they smile a lot at each other."

"Do they stay in there for a short time or long time?"

Madison brought her index finger to her lip to think for a second before answering, "A medium time."

"Do they bring clothes out when they leave the laundry room?"

"No. Maybe the clothes are not done drying yet?"

"Maybe. Well when mommy and daddy have laundry time, just make sure to play in your room since laundry is for grown-ups to do."

"And when I get bigger, I can do laundry time, too." She said not knowing the true meaning behind her words that had her auntie both laughing and grimacing.

If Abby had any say it the way the universe worked, the little girl in front of her would never grow up. Madison also would never do _laundry time_ if she had anything to do with it.

Fitz bounced his knee impatiently as Dr. Thrumpton spoke of the new technological advances of bone marrow treatment and gaining access to marrow follicles with the disruption of nerves. Needless to say, Fitz was itching to get out of there and looked at his phone to check the time. Not much had changed since he'd glanced at it just three minutes ago, and he sighed before reaching down to grab the bottle of water that near his foot.

"Fitz, it's almost over, just relax."

It took everything in Fitz to not snap at Mellie that day. No matter what was going on, she was too buddy-buddy, acting as though they were great friends and teetering on inappropriateness with her forwardness. Whether it was making a joke about whoever was presenting, grabbing extra snacks for him as though he had asked her too, or stopping by his room that morning to walk down with him, Fitz couldn't be happier that Olivia had arrived only minutes ago and would soon be with him. The reason behind him checking his phone constantly was because he knew his wife had picked up her room key from the front desk and had dropped her things off and would be waiting for him outside of the doors to his left. And he couldn't wait.

A round of applause interrupted Fitz from his thoughts and he joined in before standing up and giving out goodbyes to his team.

"Wait, not so fast guys I just want to be sure we know the plan for tomorrow morning." Mellie began, causing Fitz to inwardly groan.

She talked for a few minutes bout what time they would be meeting to set up tomorrow morning and how she expected them to be on time as though they were children and not professionals. When she finally "dismissed" them, Fitz made a beeline for the door, with Mellie hot on his tails.

"Fitz, what are you…."

She stopped mid sentence when she went through the door he hadn't bothered to hold open for her, and saw him in a tight lip-lock with a woman. Lifting one eyebrow, Mellie thought she had found an opening, thinking this was a random person, until he released the woman and she saw that it was his wife.

"Fitz, I didn't know your wife was going to be here?"

He was too caught up in seeing Olivia standing in front of him to notice anything that Mellie was saying to him. She was dressed in mini-skirt, and a tight tank with wedges. Her make-up was light but he could tell that she'd just put on a fresh coat of lip color. After she found out that the weather would be much warmer than back home, she was happy to pack some of her cutest mini's for their vacation, and had thrown in some bikini's that she knew would make her husband flashback to their honeymoon.

Seeing that Fitz was far too concerned with checking out her breasts that were directly below his eyes, Olivia spoke up. "Mellie it's nice to see you again. I just arrived actually. We decided to turn this trip into a mini getaway and enjoy Dallas."

"Oh." She responded shocked. So Olivia, is _your_ daughter with you or?"

"OUR daughter is actually home with a family friend." Fitz spoke up. He moved behind Olivia wrapping his arms around her before laying a biting kiss to her exposed neck before looking back up at Mellie. "This time will be for us, and we are going to enjoy every second of it. Since we're done for the day, we are gonna be gone for the evening and will see you guys in the morning."

"I was hoping that we could go over some things tonight, though." Mellie tried once more.

"Well you made it very clear that this was to be seen as a paid vacation, so me and Livvie are going to take full advantage of this trip."

"Bye Mellie, it was very nice seeing you again. I'm glad you suggested such a beautiful city for the seminar."

Olivia gave her a look that Fitz could only chuckle at, before grabbing a hold of Fitz's hand and pulling him out of the entrance.

"Auntie you should come live at my house so you can make _MaddiCakes_ every morning for breakfast."

"You like those, huh?" she said pushing the M shaped cookie cutter into the small pancakes before dropping a few more onto the little girls plate.

"I LOVE them" she said smiling at her with food hanging out of her mouth.

It was Monday morning and Abby had been sure to get her to bed just a bit early the night before so they wouldn't have to rush through breakfast that morning. They had spent the previous afternoon at Quinn's house playing with Scooter in the backyard, then baking for the teacher's luncheon they had coming up at Apple Creek. Abby had promised to give her a hand, and Madison was happy to see both Quinn and Scooter and spend some time with them.

"_So how have things been going with the new teacher as far as you can tell? I mean since the big incident on the first day?" Abby asked Quinn. They were currently pouring batter into the muffin trays while Madison colored at the table with Scooter's head resting in her lap._

_Bobbing her head from side to side, Quinn tried her best to explain her true feelings. "It's weird. On one hand, she's seasoned and is used to teaching kids, but on the other hand she's only taught older elementary, she's very brass, and doesn't believe in asking for help, or receiving it. So when I can hear her talking to the students- six of which were with me last year- I know there's no way she would accept my input on the certain ways to speak to that particular child or a certain quirk that might help her gain their trust. And with Madison, it's been nearly two months and still everyday at recess I bring out crayons and paper because if I don't she will just sit next to me and refuse to play. She tries with Mads, I can't lie and say that she doesn't try, but is she willing to ask for help? We have our peer evaluation and although she's not in my bracket we're allowed to add additional comments and mine will be all about her. She's not a team player, and wants to do it all herself, and that's not what being a teacher is about."_

Snapping out of her thoughts by the sound of her alarm going off, Abby grabbed Madison's lunch bag from the fridge before clipping it onto her backpack.

"Alright babe, let's go get those teeth brushed and fix your hair before we have to get going."

Madison stuffed two more bites into her mouth before throwing her Auntie a thumbs up and hopping down from her seat. Walking into the bathroom, Abby noticed that the small girl was still chewing so she went to work on her hair. She regretting not washing her hair last night, and just ran her fingers through the thick curls before piling it on top of her head in a tight bun. Once they were finally done brushing her teeth and cleaning her face, they headed out the door and left for school.

"Alright girly, bring it in." Abby spoke when they walked into the school and to Madison's classroom. She stooped down and brought the girl's small frame into a warm embrace.

"Thank you Auntie for taking care of me while mommy and daddy are gone." She pulled back before giving her aunt an affection kiss on the lips. Something she hadn't done in forever, and it brought tears immediately to the redhead's eyes.

"Short stuff, I wouldn't want you to be anywhere else. I love you so much. I'll pick you up later, okay?"

"Okay. I love you too."

Abby watched her walk, looking down the hall at Quinn who was welcoming student into her class. She sent the brunette a small wave before taking a deep breath and walking into her own classroom.

Olivia brushed her teeth the Monday morning and rinsed her mouth before running her fingers through her mess of curly hair, her mind easily being made up about not straightening it for the day. She already didn't have the energy. After completing her usual morning face wash, she walked back towards their bed and climbed on top to sit next to him. She felt so bad for him, and the guilt over last night was bubbling up once again.

After their first two days in Dallas, most of them being spent in the downtown area, Olivia and Fitz decided to take their rental four hours away to Oklahoma on Sunday and have some fun at the casino. It was something neither of them had done before and anytime they found something that could be a first for them as a couple, they jumped at the opportunity. This was no different. They arrived at the casino and decided on alias's and all before running around and testing their luck on slot machines and at the black jack table. They'd barely made three hundred dollars when they'd left and felt that was as good as things were going to get and quit before they actually lost any money. It was on the drive back that they'd spotted signs for Texas finest barbeque brisket and the two over indulged in the wood smoked meat smothered in dark hickory sauce. When they had finally made it to their hotel, Olivia and Fitz couldn't keep their hands off one another and showed no mercy in peeling one another's clothes off, planning on indulging in kid free, no hold barred sex.

That is until Olivia felt the overwhelming need to rid her stomach of the barbeque. When Fitz finally realized her request of "stop" wasn't her being a tease, he quickly moved aside as he naked wife dashed into the bathroom and the brisket she had consumed just under an hour ago was brought forth. Olivia did feel bad when she finally turned around to see Fitz's fully erect member peeking out through the opening of his boxers and as much as she tried to convince him that she was up for giving him "the best hand job Dallas has ever witnessed" Fitz assured her that she could go to sleep and that he would be fine.

Fitz was lying on his stomach with one hand under his head and the other stretched out, gripping her pillow she had vacated nearly thirty minutes ago. Counting the days before they arrived in Texas, this would be the sixth morning in a row that she'd awakened before her alarm clock and rushed to the bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach from the night before. She knew Fitz' alarm would be going off in another hour, alerting him of his eleven o'clock session he had to go to, but Olivia wanted to share her thoughts with him beforehand.

"Fitz" her voice was quiet, but her pointer finger was anything but gentle as she poked his side. He moved away from the annoying jabs, but Olivia was persistent and moved down his ribs, pushing harder.

"Fitz, baby wake up please. I need to talk to you." She snickered at his loud grown and was satisfied when he turned to face her, opening one eye only.

_That's a start_

"Can you run to the store for me before you go down this morning?"

"Hmm?" he managed to get out, half wanting her to repeat the question, the other half wanting her to not say anything at all.

"Before you go down for your session, can you run to the store for me?"

"Why? What do you need? You packed like our entire bedroom, Livvie." He swung his arm out in the direction he knew her extremely large suitcase was sitting, to make his point before he continued. "What could you possibly need from the store?"

"A pregnancy test." She answered quietly, waiting for his reaction.

It was only after her words that Fitz' other eye open and he said up on the bed, facing Olivia.

"Come again. You need what?"

"Fitz… I think.. I think I need a pregnancy test."

"You think… you want a… are you sure?" his questions were coming out fast and unfinished.

"No, I'm not one hundred percent sure, that's why I need a test." She looked down at the bedspread, her nerves instantly bubbling to the surface. "To be honest, I really feel like I am. I've thrown up every morning for like the past week and certain foods are already making me nauseous. I love barbeque but hated it during my pregnancy with Mads. It's not that unusual, but im late this month and my breasts are sensitive and a bit sore."

She inhaled a deep breath and Fitz could see the tears well up in her eyes and knew they were due to fear.

"There's just this feeling that I have and I can't let what happened last time, happen again. I can't let obvious signs be ignored only to end up ruining things again for us."

"Hey! Stop it. You did not ruin things for us. That was a horrible accident that no one had control of. Do not say things like that, Livvie. Do you understand me?"

It took her a minute to answer him, but she finally agreed.

"I'm so nervous but with all those symptoms…"

"Yea…" Fitz sat back against the headboard before pulling his Livvie into his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist. "it definitely sounds like you're pregnant, babe."

"Yea, but as much as I really believe I am, I don't want to assume anything. I want to get an actual test and get actual results. Can you get one so we can find out for sure?"

"Of course. Hey," he turned her face so that he could give her a proper kiss good morning. "we are in this together. I love you. So much."

He released her lips and then patted her thighs before moving out from behind her and running to the bathroom to pee and brush his teeth. When he was done, he threw on a pair of workout shorts and a new tshirt before sliding on his tennis shoes and walking towards Liv.

"I'll be right back. Don't move."

"Alright, but I can't promise that I won't move at all."

He smiled at her attempt to lighten her own mood and pecked her lips before grabbing his wallet from the small table and left out towards the front desk. He had to find out where the closest store was, and fast.

It was exactly nineteen minutes later when Fitz walked through the room door with a plastic bag firmly in his grasp.

"In here" He heard Olivia's voice fill the small room and followed it to the bathroom. "What took you so long?"

Fitz didn't take offence to her annoyed tone knowing she was just anxious about take the test and having answers.

"I'm sorry Livvie, but I'm here now so are you ready?"

She stared at the bag he was holding for a minute before hesitating , "You know what… maybe we should wait until we get home.."

"Olivia, stop. Look at me."

Fitz moved quickly to her and reached out to grab a hold of her face, forcing her to look at him.

"Don't do this, sweetheart. You have all these symptoms, we have a test, and we are going to take it and go from there. IF you are pregnant, we need to know. Now, okay?"

Olivia was looking anywhere but his eyes until she felt his lips against hers. She sighed, kissing him back with trembling lips before pulling away and nodding her head.

When Olivia walked out of the bathroom approximately two minutes later, she intertwined her fingers with his, watching as Fitz set the timer on his phone.

"If we.."

"No. Let's just wait, Livvie. Just sit here and be with me. We only make decisions when the time is up and we read the results."

She stared at him, her hand still tightly linked to his much stronger hand. "How are you so calm, Fitz?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She would never be able to fully understand his strength.

"You wanna know a secret? You know how in _Frozen_, Queen Elsa seems calm on the outside, but on the inside she's barely holding it together?"

Olivia looked at him and wanted laugh but could see the tears build up in his eyes, causing hers to fill for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. He too was nervous about what answers they would get in the next few moments.

They let another minute pass before Fitz felt Olivia nudging him towards the bathroom to check the test. He looked at her silently asking ifshe as sure and when she nodded, he kissed her hand before moving into the bathroom.

Olivia closed her eyes, not sure if she wanted to see the initial look on his face once he stepped out of the bathroom. She kept her eyes closed, her bottom lip tucked tightly between her lips and she fought back the tears that were right on the cusp of falling from her eyes. She only pried her eyes open when she felt her husband's hands on her.

"Livvie"

She looked down immediately as Fitz was on his knees in front of her, his arms sitting on her thighs. She felt her body trembling, and her chest heaved as she took deep breaths and waited for his next move that would tell her everything she needed to know.

Fitz tried his best to still his hands as they moved forward and rested on his wife's stomach. The moment he touched her, he felt her abdomen contract as sobs wracked her body and her hands came to rest atop of his.

"Oh my God" she cried, finally meeting his gaze.

"We're pregnant, Livvie." His sobs came just as heavily as hers had and he quickly buried his face into her stomach and wrapped his hands around her waist. Fitz repeatedly laid kisses on the t-shirt covering her stomach before he suddenly stood up and moved her to the middle of the bed. Crawling on the bed, he hovered over her before moving his fingertips under her shirt and pushing it up until he was able to throw it on the other side of the bed. For the next few moments, Fitz did nothing but hold his lips against Olivia's stomach just above her navel, tears escaping his eyes every couple of seconds.

Olivia let her hand run through his dark curls, loving the way he was already loving their unborn child. She didn't think it was possible to love Fitz anymore than she already did, but somehow she did. Lifting himself from between her thighs, Fitz moved himself to be at eye level with her before lying on his side and turning her to do the same. He leaned forward, capturing her in a passionate kiss, thoroughly making her lightheaded.

"How are you feeling?"

"Happy…. Nervous…." She let out a small laugh, but continued. "Overwhelmed… Excited… Maybe a bit nauseous, but I'm more happy than anything."

"Me too… maybe a little less nauseous though." He was happy to see a small smile grace her lips.

Neither of them knew what else to say, but the silence wasn't a bad thing, instead they were just able to think. They weren't really some newlywed couple that had planned to wait years before starting a family, nor were they old pros. They were someplace different and they wanted to just sit in that moment with one another to let their news sink in.

They were pregnant and couldn't be more excited.

Olivia sat in the very back of the auditorium watching Fitz and two of his co-workers that she'd met Friday, stand up alongside Mellie as she started their presentation. The three of them stood off to the side as she began and every once in a while one would walk up with a life-sized example of what she was speaking about and trade places with her before speaking themselves. Olivia fiddled with her phone for a few minutes before realizing she didn't have much service in the building and dropping it into her purse on the floor. As boring as this presentation was, Olivia had to admit that she enjoyed watching Fitz stand up there and speak his medical jargon. He looked hella sexy.

Fitz walked away from the podium and stood along his colleagues, searching the crowd again for his wife before his eyes landed on her pretty face. He winked at her and she sent one back in return. Fitz tuned everyone out and focused in on Olivia's pretty face. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket but ignored it as Olivia began mouthing words to him playfully. Fitz watched her mouth moving and laughed at some of the words that he could completely make out, earning an ugly glare from Mellie who was interrupted by his snickers. He felt his phone vibrating again and held it tightly in his hands hoping that the vibrating noise wouldn't draw more attention to him. When the vibrating started again, he could tell that it was a text message instead of a phone call. Fitz looked up and saw Mellie gesture to the screen and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

_Mom Cell_

_Voicemail (2) &amp; Missed Call (2)_

_Abby Whelan_

_iMessage (6)_

_Abby Whelan_

_Voicemail (4) &amp; Missed Call (8)_

_Apple Creek_

_Voicemail (1) &amp; Missed Call (2)_

Looking up, Fitz locked eyes with his wife, and Olivia immediately knew something was wrong.

**Thanks so much guys for reading. Hope you'll leave a review- they really encourage me to write more and faster, so I guess that' a hint? Lol I can't force anyone to review- I know I zip through ff so much I try to always leave a review but fail many times. I just hope you guys like it. I've never done a cliffhanger so I hope you don't hate me too much. **


	16. Chapter 15

**Hi guys. Sorry for the long delay, and thank you for the reviews in the last chapter. You guys got your wish of an Olitz baby **** A big thank you to Mir, Sabrina, and Kayla for all your help with this chapter. It takes a village at times! This chapter picks up where it left off kinda, and somewhat has a few jumps in it. Hope you guys enjoy.**

_Alright class, make sure your lunch boxes are in the lunch bucket before you find a square."_

_Mrs. Houser reminded the kids as the last students left their centers. They were a few students that jumped up and ran to their cubbies to grab their forgotten lunch, including Madison. When the kids came back to drop their lunches inside, Mrs. Houser noticed Madison walked over empty handed. She looked nervous as she walked towards the rest of the class._

"_Madison, did you find your lunch, sweetie?"_

_She shook her head no, "I don't see it. My auntie put it on my backpack, but it's not there."_

_She was fidgeting and Mrs. Houser felt her heart break for the little girl. She was the student that was hard to get through to. She had to work hard to get Madison's trust, and although she hadn't done that in a long time with teaching older children, she knew it was essential to her job now as a preschool teacher. _

"_Okay, well that's okay. We can get some lunch for you."_

"_But I want my own lunch."_

_Squatting down to Madison's level, Mrs. Houser rubbed her hand up and down the little girl's back, trying her best to soothe her. "Lunch will be pretty soon, and I'm not sure if your Auntie will have enough time to drop it off, but I will make sure you eat a very yummy lunch."_

_Madison still looked unsure, but nodded anyway. "Okay."_

Olivia and Fitz were back in their room, each having a task at hand that would guarantee them to leave as quickly as possible. Fitz was on the phone with the airlines booking their flight home, while Olivia was throwing their things into each of their suitcases. She didn't pay much attention to whose items went where, and she knew it didn't matter.

They had spoken to Abby once but they could only assume that she was someplace that didn't have great service because their call had dropped, and each time they tried to call her back, they couldn't get through. The only thing they were able to get from the first call was that an accident had happened at school and that she was on the way to the hospital and would call them as soon as she found out any information.

That had been ten minutes ago and Olivia moved around the room with her phone held tightly in her hand, waiting for it to ring. She felt stupid for not calling the school right away, but she was almost too afraid to speak with anyone there, not sure how she would stomach getting bad news from them. When Olivia zipped up the last suitcase, her phone rang and she quickly answered it before even looking at the ID.

"Liv?" she immediately recognized her mother in law's voice on the other end of the line.

"Mom! Are you at the hospital? What's going on, is Abby there? Where's Maddie?"

"I just got to the hospital. The school called me as well, and they couldn't tell me much but I asked if she had an allergic reaction and they assured me she did not."

"Oh, thank God. But is she okay?"

"I really don't know much, hun. I know she…"

When a beep on the other line alerted Olivia to an incoming call, she checked it before interrupting Catherine.

"Mom, Quinn is calling, let me call you back."

She didn't wait for her to respond and ended the call before answering Quinn.

"Quinn, it's Liv."

"Liv, hey, Madison is okay. I'm in her room now, she got hurt on the playground and had to be taken in."

"She didn't have a reaction to anything?" She knew Catherine had just assured her, but she wanted to make sure.

"No, everything was fine allergy wise. She fell while playing and they think she has a concussion and they're just checking her arm to be sure nothing re-fractured from the one she had before since she fell on her arm."

"A concussion? How could that have happened?"

"Our new playground equipment is a few extra inches taller and she was climbing with other kids and she got knocked off. But she is okay, I promise Liv. Abby went with her to get a CT scan as soon as she signed the consent. I rode with her in the ambulance because I was just closer to her when it happened and she wouldn't let go of me, and knowing how close I am with you guys, our principal let me go until family came, but I'm still gonna stay for a little while longer."

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and allowed her body to drop back on the bed. Just knowing that Madison was only hurt physically took a heavy weight off Olivia's shoulders. She feared her little girl had been given nuts and had an allergic reaction which would have meant a lot of possibilities for the state of which her daughter could have been in.

"How does she look? You said she had a concussion? Did she hit her head?"

"Kind of when she fell, but not on any of the bars thankfully. But she fell face first so she has some scratches on her face that I saw, and she has a bump on her head. It's not horrible, but it's there. When she gets in, I'll take a picture of her for you."

"Thank you Quinn, so much. Fitz is booking our flights and just left to go check out and let his supervisor know we will be leaving, then we're heading to the airport."

"No need to thank me. I would have called you sooner but I left my phone in the ambulance so I had to wait for a paramedic to bring it to me. You know I love Madison and would do anything for her."

"I do know that. Thanks Quinn, can you have Abby call me as soon as she gets back and could you go out to the waiting room and update Fitz's mom? She just got there a few minutes ago."

"Yea, no problem. I'll go now and talk to you later."

Olivia hung up the phone and gathered the rest of their belongings and wheeled the suitcases behind her. Her large purse was on her shoulder and Fitz' suit coat was thrown over her arm. She had gotten on the elevator and when the doors opened to the lobby, Olivia heard her husband's distinctive voice booming near the hotel's conference room.

"…you have no right to pull this shit right now! Do you NOT get the severity of what's going on?"

"Fitz, you are not…"

"It's Mr. Grant to you." Olivia stated as she moved to stand next to Fitz and directly in front of Mellie. "My husband is not a friend of yours. He works for you. Please stop acting as though you have more than just a working-business relationship."

Mellie immediately gritted her teeth, flared her nose and stepped back an inch from where Olivia had moved in closer while speaking to her.

"Mr. Grant," she corrected herself in an angry voice, looking to Olivia before turning her attention to Fitz. "you are not allowed to leave the conference early. This would be the second one you've left and it will not be tolerated."

Fitz felt Olivia's small hand slip into his much larger one and tighten her fingers around his. He'd never understand how she could calm him down so easily, and he was grateful that she knew him well enough to know that Mellie had irked his last nerve. "I just received multiple calls from family back home telling me that my daughter was taken to the hospital. Don't think for one minute that I'm not leaving this conference; with or without your consent!"

"You're so blind you can't even see that they are ruining your career! She's not even your _real_ daughter" she yelled, but muttered the last bit under her breath.

"You bitch!" Olivia swung her arm out immediately wanting to get her hands around Mellie's neck and choke the shit out of her. The second her hand made contact with the back of her head and her fingers wrapped around a chunk of her hair, Fitz's arm that was around her waist yanked her back towards his chest, tightening his grip on her.

"Fuck you! You're so damn jealous and thirsty for something you've never had and will never get! Find your own damn husband and don't you ever say another word about my daughter again or you will regret the shit out of it."

When Fitz felt Olivia's body release its tense stance, he loosened his grip on her waist and brought his free hand to intertwine with her fingers, wanting to keep her from responding in such anger again. He had to keep her calm not only for her own sake, but for the sake of the fragile life she was carrying. He wouldn't let anything happen to this baby. He couldn't.

"You have never had any respect for me since the day I started working at Duke. You refuse to respect Olivia and HER place as MY wife, nor MY place as HER husband, let alone OUR daughter and that fact that she belongs to the BOTH of us. There will NEVER be a chance for anyone else and most definitely not you. So I'll say this with as much respect as I can. BACK. THE FUCK. OFF."

Olivia noticed his hand reached for the suitcase handle that was closest to him, and she grabbed a hold of the other one before she followed his long strides towards the front entrance of the hotel.

"Grant!" they heard Mellie begin, her footsteps moving after them. "You really are out of line in so many ways."

Fitz stopped walking and looked down at Olivia. His wife had tears in her eyes and could read the anger behind her gorgeous brown orbs. He took a deep breath and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on Olivia's lips, whispering "I love you" against her soft pout, before turning to face Mellie for the last time.

"Mellie…. I quit."

It was just minutes later that Fitz and Olivia were driving to the airport to return their rental car and catch their flight. Fitz was luckily able to get a flight out that left in just under an hour and a half. The American Airlines associate was very helpful and considerate of their emergency situation, assuring them that they would meet them at the check in and get their bags checked before rushing them through security. Olivia had updated him on what she'd found out from Quinn, and he was relieved to finally know what was going on with their little girl.

"Has Abby called you back yet?"

"She texted me saying they were heading back to the room and she would call as soon as they got Mads settled in."

"I'm gonna call and see who's on duty. Jessica should be on shift and Cy might even be there. Jess is a great nurse and the kids really take well to her."

Olivia just nodded her head, plugging her charger into the outlet to ensure that she had enough battery to last until they got home to Madison. Fitz was busy leaving messages and sending texts to people and once he was done, Olivia reached over and grabbed his hand.

"Fitz, are you are you really sure quitting was a good idea?"

"It was the only option I had Olivia. She's a woman, so I couldn't put my hands on her, so I had to quit or else I would've strangled her. Everything she's said to me since day one has been inappropriate, or misleading, and I should've done something about it beforehand. Even if not in a professional sense, but on a personal note, she's completely out of line knowing I'm married, happily married at that which I've never hidden. A few weeks left isn't going to hurt us or me in anyway. Once Madison is fully healed and okay, I'll call up Mark and see if they need any help setting up the new offices. Trust me Livvie, it's not the end of the world. It'll actually make things better for us all."

Olivia stood outside of baggage claim waiting for Fitz to bring their car around so they could go to the hospital. She had parked at the airport, while he had left his car parked at the hospital and took the shuttle with his colleagues to the airport.

A couple minutes later, she saw her car pull up and he hopped out and took the suitcases from her before loading them up in the trunk.

"Did mom try to call you again?"

"No, why?" Olivia asked, looking through her wallet to make sure she had Madison's insurance cards and other information.

"She called me, but I was too busy messing with the damn pay machine so I ignored her."

"I'll call her in a second. I can't find Mads' insurance card or anything. What the hell?"

"Baby, you gave that all to Abby, stop worrying. Everything is okay. We got to hear her voice and she knows we're coming. I need you to relax. For Madison, for yourself, and for this baby." His hand moved to her stomach, and Olivia placed her hand atop of his before sighing deeply and nodding.

"I know. I almost keep forgetting that it was just hours ago that we found out. It seems like so much has happened since this morning."

"So much _has_ happened, but we know that nothing major has happened. I'm gonna get someone to draw your blood when everything is settled down tonight."

"What? Why?"

"Because you're stressed, and we need to make sure everything's okay, anyway."

"Babe, I appreciate it, I do, but I'd be more comfortable waiting to see my doctor. I'll give her a call later and see how soon I can schedule an appointment this week." Fitz nodded and grabbed hold of her hand.

"Okay, we can wait, but can we still do blood work just to check your levels and get proof that you're pregnant? I mean medical proof—not drugstore test proof. Just do this for me, for my peace of mind?"

Olivia nodded her head, but didn't say anything for the next few minutes. "I wait for the day my baby goes years without being in the emergency room."

Fitz sighed and wrapped his arms around Olivia's waist, pulling her closer to him. "I know, Livvie. That day will come. And this was just an accident, something that could have happened at home or at my parents, anywhere. Let's just be grateful that she is okay and it's nothing major and harm wasn't inflicted on her."

Olivia brought his hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles.

"Thank you, babe."

When they arrived at the front desk, they were given visitor stickers and followed the signs that led to room 1023. Olivia was ahead of Fitz and glanced back at him when they heard the wails coming from inside the room.

'Livvie wait. I need you to relax for a second. We know she's fine, so I need you to relax and stop stressing yourself out. It's not just you that you have to relax for. You're pregnant and have to be careful"

"Fitz, I'm fine, I promise. I just _need_ to see her."

"I know that, trust me I get it. But you still need to relax. I am serious."

Olivia looked at him and could see the frustration he was holding back and could tell that he wouldn't stop until he was able to guarantee that she would listen to him. She understood where he was coming from, but there was a part of her that was annoyed with him for being this way. There was only one thing that would calm her down, and she was on the other side of that door.

Pushing the door open, Fitz and Olivia passed Jerry who was sitting in one of the chairs by the window, and moved to where Madison was kicking her legs lazily as she sat on Abby's lap, her back against Abby's chest. Catherine was kneeled in front of her smiling and tickling her legs. Madison was half smiling, half crying as Catherine's fingers tickled her legs, and Abby had a hold of her hands, forcing the little girl to play peek-a-boo with herself.

The adults looked up when they heard the door open and close and they each breathed a visible sigh of relief when they saw Olivia and Fitz.

"Hey guys, I'm so glad you made it back! Maddie, look who's here, baby girl," Abby spoke softly into her ear and she immediately looked up and locked eyes with her mommy.

As if she were in dire pain, Madison's cries came out full-fledged and her arms extended to her mother.

Olivia wasn't sure if it was because she had been so worried about her daughter in the hours it took to reach her, or if it were the start of her pregnancy hormones, but her eyes were immediately filled with tears that escaped the second she had her little girl in her arms.

"Baby girl, Mommy's here now. I'm right here, baby."

"Mommy."There were no words that followed, but a string of "Mommy's" came out of the little girl's mouth along with a constant flow of tears.

Fitz laid a soft kiss to her head and looked at the bandage on the side of her head where she had been tended to.

"Liv, she's not allowed to fall asleep, dear. That's what we were working on a second ago, "Catherine said, hugging her sideways as not to squish Madison.

"Thanks, mom," Olivia responded before looking over at Fitz who had greeted his dad and was now looking over Madison's chart.

"Thank you Abby, so much. What all did they say? How is she even in a room? I expected her to still be down in the ER."

"Your friend Cyrus came down to check on her and insisted she be made as comfortable as possible. She's drained but they don't want her to sleep at all so he said they didn't want to discharge her and have her fall asleep on the way home. Plus, the lab is backed up and they just want to get everything in before discharging her or whatever."

"Liv?" Fitz said, giving her a look.

"We will have to thank Cyrus for all this, "Olivia said, before walking towards Fitz. "You wanna say 'hi' to daddy? Can he hold you?"

Madison hesitated a second but then reached for Fitz and burrowed herself into his neck.

"Hi sweet girl. Are you okay? I missed you." Madison nodded her head. "Did you get hurt at school? Does it hurt?" She nodded a lot slower this time. He could tell she was getting herself comfortable and preparing to doze off being in the familiar place in his arms.

"Baby, I need you to wake up for me." He moved her away from his chest and stood her up on the bed in front of him.

Her whines started up as she leaned the uninjured side of her face against his chest, so badly wanting to sleep.

"I wanna take a nap, daddy!" She spoke so loudly that Fitz had to take a deep breath before answering her. Now wasn't the time for disciplining because he knew she was drained and couldn't control her emotions or actions.

"Did they say what medicine they gave her?" Fitz asked, already forgetting what he'd read in the file minutes ago.

Abby grabbed at the file having forgotten herself and read off the medicine, dosage, and the time to Fitz who did the math in his head before speaking.

"What time did they assess her?" He looked over at Abby before taking the file from her and looking himself. Madison still leaned against his chest while standing on the bed and he could vaguely hear Olivia speaking with her to keep her awake.

He was beyond frustrated and simply wanted to take his family home. He knew he'd made the right decision with quitting but wasn't sure if Mellie had taken him seriously or not. On one hand he wanted to go out and move Madison's lab work up to the front of the line and sign off on any and all paperwork to get her released, but if Mellie had taken him seriously then she would've called the hospital to let them know and anything he tried would be denied. Lastly, he didn't want to take Madison home and have anything they hadn't found pop up unexpectedly.

"Liv, do you want to get something to eat?" He eyed her carefully.

"I'm fine, Fitz." He stared at her, willing her to listen to him, but knew she wouldn't budge.

"Come on, baby, let's go get some candy. What kind of candy do you want?" Madison tore her eyes from Olivia and looked up at Fitz, smiling lazily.

"I want Starbursts, daddy." She held her arms up, waiting for him to lift her into his arms.

"We'll be back," Fitz spoke to Olivia before he exited the room and headed for the cafeteria.

"He seems upset, and not just about Madison, but like there's something else on his mind. Is everything okay, Liv?" Big Gerry finally spoke after watching his son closely since he walked in the room.

"His supervisor wasn't too thrilled about him leaving the seminar and words were said, but he'll be okay. He just needs to calm down and Mads will help with that no matter how cranky she is. They both have a way of settling the other down, so I know they'll both be in a better mood once they get back."

Abby walked closer to Olivia and pulled her into a one-arm hug.

"I hate that you guys had to cut your trip short."

"It's fine. We're fine. He just needs some time with her."

Olivia closed her eyes, feeling a sudden wave of dizziness come over her and grabbed a hold of the bed rail before excusing herself and walking out of the room as quickly as her legs could carry her. She'd spotted the bathroom when they first made their way to Madison's room, and made her way inside just as the dry heaving began. Olivia stayed bent at the waist until she knew she had adequate time to grab a few paper towels. She took a handful and wet them before folding the stack and laying it across the back of her neck, then grabbed a few more and sat them on the ground near the commode, then kneeled down on them. She wasn't sure if it would start again, but knew she didn't need to be standing up as she was feeling very lightheaded.

Before Olivia could stop herself, she brought a hand to rest on her stomach and began speaking to the baby she hoped and prayed was actually there.

"I know you're in there little one and I promise I'm gonna get you checked out today. I cave, and you win, but you have to give your mama a break, okay? Your big sister had an accident so I need to focus on her for a while, but I know you're in there and I promise I'm gonna take such great care of you while you grow big and strong. Mama just needs a little break for a while."

Olivia took a few deeps breaths, and was preparing to stand up when she heard soft knocks on the door followed by her mother-in-law's voice.

"Olivia, are you alright? Can I come in?"

Olivia grabbed up the paper towels and tossed them in the trash before pulling the door open. Catherine took in her appearance and grabbed a hold of her hands.

"Do you know how far along you are?"

Olivia let out a breathy sob, squeezing the warm hands that had become so familiar to her and shook her head 'no'. She wouldn't even ask how she figured it out.

"We just took a test this morning."

Catherine reached to wipe away a few of the tears that had fallen down her cheeks before pulling her into a hug.

"My sweet girl, don't cry. It's going to be okay. We just need to get you seen by a doctor and we are at the perfect place for that."

Catherine felt Olivia nod and she continued to rub her back soothingly.

"I told him I would rather get checked out by my own doctor, but I think this little one is telling me that I need to get checked out today. His daddy is already upset with me, I don't want upset him either."

"Already thinking it's a boy, huh" Catherine asked, pulling back and cupping her cheek.

"I think so. I just know I'm gonna give Fitz a son. I can picture him."

"Well, between us girls, I think it'll be a boy too. Now tell me what I can do? I saw the look my son was giving you, so I'm sure you probably need to eat something. How about something bland and simple to settle your stomach? They've got baked chicken in the cafeteria and I can get you some crackers too. What about a drink? Gingerale, or water?"

"Water is fine. Thank you, Mom."

She kissed Olivia's forehead before grabbing a hold of her hand and walking out of the bathroom.

"You go talk to the front desk about getting someone to check you out, and I'm gonna grab the food and send your husband to find you."

When Olivia left the bathroom, she walked towards the elevators, knowing that she needed to go to a different floor to see about getting checked in. She waited for the elevator and after a few seconds, a large grin appeared on her face. She didn't need to look up at the numbers to know that the elevator had come to a stop on her floor. She could hear the extra loud giggles coming from inside and felt her heart race knowing they belonged to her little girl. When the doors opened, Liv took a half step back and noticed the two of them nose to nose with Madison hands pulling on her daddy's ears and Fitz's cheeks filled with air. With her mouth wide open showing all of her teeth, Madison laughed animatedly and pulled harder on his ears. Olivia winced imagining what his ears must feel like although he showed no discomfort. It only took a couple more seconds for them to realize that the elevator had stopped on their floor and when they noticed Olivia, both of their smiles grew.

"Mommy, I got candy."

"I have candy" Olivia corrected before holding out her arms, signaling to hold her.

Madison leaned over into her arms and Olivia grabbed her up before rubbing noses with her. Olivia hosted her up on her hip and held onto her thigh before reaching out and intertwining her fingers with Fitz's much larger ones.

"Mads can you sit with Auntie for a little while so daddy and me can go downstairs and talk to a doctor? We will come right back as soon as we are done, but mommy has a tummy ache so I need to go see a doctor too." Olivia felt Fitz tighten his hold on her hands, letting her know he appreciated her doing this.

"Are you gonna come back to get me?"

Fitz took this as his chance to chime in. "Yes, as soon as we are done, we will come right up to your room and we should be able to go home."

She nodded her head before lying it on Olivia's shoulder as they walked back into the room.

"Do you know the doctor that's gonna do it?" Olivia asked Fitz. She was sitting on the examination table wearing the gown the nurse had given her to put on later once the blood tests came back. She didn't want her to wear it prematurely, but believing that she was in fact pregnant, Olivia went ahead and put the gown on anyway. Fitz had pulled up the chair to get as close to the bed as he could and was reading through a pamphlet meant for first time parents.

"I know her well enough to know I'd rather have her than the other option they gave me." He responded casually remembering the names he was given from the nurse at the front desk.

"Who was the other option?" Olivia asked with a confused look on her face, knowing her husband.

"Some guy and he sure as hell wasn't going to examine you."

"Oh goodness Fitz, don't be so stuck up about it. You do realize that a male could deliver this baby right?"

"I'm not being stuck up about another man staring at my wife's vagina, I'm just being real and saying it's not gonna happen. And how the hell could a male deliver our baby if your doctor is a woman?"

"Shit happens, babe. This baby could decide to come early, and she could be out of town or anything. Madison was very close to being delivered by the doctor on call."

"What happened?"

"My doctor didn't want me driving when I was near the end of my pregnancy, especially with my blood pressure being so high, and Jake had left town so out of the blue, and Abby had been stuck in court so when my contractions started, I had to wait them out and just stay calm."

"Why didn't you just call 911, Livvie?"

"I figured Abby would get out sooner and I really didn't want to go there alone. I was terrified enough as it is, I didn't want to feel embarrassed because I was alone." She looked down at her hands that were playing with the horrible colored gown before meeting Fitz's eyes again. "Once I felt my water break, I called 911, but I was already so dilated that Dr. Rose nearly missed the birth. So all of that to say a male could definitely deliver this baby."

Before Fitz could respond, there was a warning knock on the door and a woman walked into the room. She had tight, chocolate ringlet curls that hung past her shoulders, and brown-rimmed glasses. She moved towards them, and reached her hand out to shake each of theirs.

"Hi Olivia, Fitz, I'm Dr. Anderson and I have your blood work here and you are one-hundred and fifty percent pregnant." She said with a smile.

It was obvious that she was happy for the couple and just like she would with any of her patients, she waited a beat and watched Fitz lean towards Olivia and kiss her lips softly before whispering something she couldn't make out. She didn't mind though; it was clearly a private moment.

"From you HCG levels, you look to be about nine weeks along. I can see that you're already changed, so if you guys are ready, let's take a look at your little one?"

"Yes, definitely." Olivia spoke up.

"Alright, our technician should be right in with everything, but I will be the one doing it today. Since it's still very early on, I will perform a transvaginal ultrasound, so Olivia, I'm gonna have you put your feet in these," she gestured to the stirrups that she locked into place at the bottom of the bed. "and Fitz, I'm going to have you stay right where you are the entire time." Dr. Anderson grabbed the sheet and draped it across Olivia's legs, obstructing their view of her lower half. It was less than a minute later when the technician brought everything in and Dr. Anderson grabbed a condom packet and went to open it before disappearing behind the sheets again.

Fitz stared at her completely unsure of what he was seeing and looked at Olivia.

"Babe, don't look down there. Just look at me, okay?" She could read the look on his face and had to laugh. He was a doctor after all but obviously was clueless when it came to all things pregnancy.

Fitz leaned in closer to Olivia and eyed the doctor quickly before looking back at his wife and speaking to her in a quiet voice.

"Why isn't she rubbing that on your stomach? Is she gonna stick that in.."

He stopped when he saw Olivia's face change and he immediately knew she was uncomfortable. When Olivia focused her attention back on her husband, she saw his eyes fill with worry and wanted to calm him right away.

"I'm fine, it's just a little pressure that's all. Just keep holding my hand."

Listening to her instructions, Fitz squeezed her hand a little tighter and was about to tell her a joke to calm her when a noise filled the room before it suddenly grew louder.

"Alright, let's crank that up for you." Their doctor started while turning the screen so they could finally see it. "Alright, I know you can hear that, right? Well now you can see it as well. That is your baby's heartbeat."

They both sat in awe at the sound that filled the small room, and Olivia felt tears gush from her eyes.

"It sounds so strong" she could barely get the words out.

"Oh, it's very strong. I wasn't sure if we'd be able to hear and see it, but you definitely have a strong little boy or girl in there."

Olivia's head fell back against the bed and she brought Fitz's hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles, not being able to convey how grateful she was for this baby they made. She felt her husband's lips against her cheek before he buried his nose into her neck and Olivia could feel his tears on her skin. She waited a minute before he wiped at his eyes before turning to look at the screen where the doctor assured them their baby was growing.

"It's like a smudge" Fitz laughed out loud before kissing Olivia again. He couldn't stop himself from wanting to show her as much affection as he could in this moment.

"I was thinking more like a little bean shape but to each it's own." Dr. Anderson smiled at the two of them before taking two shots that she felt they would enjoy, and turning the machine off. She removed the probe and discarded the condom before giving Olivia wipes to clean herself up and excused herself before letting them know she'd be meet them in her office across the hall.

Olivia went into the small bathroom to clean herself up and returned just as quickly and got dressed. Fitz sat in his chair watching her, wearing such a boyish grin. She knew he was ecstatic and she felt the same way. When she was dressed, she moved towards him and swung a leg over each of his thighs, straddling him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Did you hear that heartbeat? It's so strong."

"It's very strong. And that picture, Livvie." He said beaming with pride. "That little smudge makes me so damn happy." Fitz moved his hands to her stomach and rubbed his thumbs back and forth.

"We should come up with a name for him or her" Olivia suddenly spoke.

"But we don't know the sex yet."

"No, like a cute name to call them until we do have a name. Abby called Mads, 'Shortie' the entire time I was pregnant since she measured so little."

"Smudgers." Fitz said simply.

"Smudgers?"

"Yea, the picture looks just like a smudge but I love it so much. I think Smudgers is kinda cute anyway."

"It is cute…. Smudgers… Smudgers.. it's hella cute, babe"

She kissed his lips passionately until Fitz pulled away from her and leaned his head down towards her stomach.

"We love you so much, Smudgers."

Fitz allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the living room and propped his feet up on the table before turning on his iPad and searching for what he was looking for. It had been three days since they had the pregnancy confirmed by Dr. Anderson and as promised Fitz went with Olivia to meet with her own doctor that day and that's when it all felt real. He wasn't sure how she could tolerate this woman being her doctor and Fitz was unsure on whether he should bring up the idea of switching doctors. She was very honest in answering every question that Olivia had about her previous miscarriage and the possibility of another one. She made sure Olivia was set up with prenatal vitamins, encouraged her to keep with a balanced diet, reminded her of foods to avoid, and to continue to exercise lightly. All seemed well with the appointment until she handed Fitz a book.

"I have a stack of these that I give every new father that I meet, so have at it."

So there Fitz sat, at just a little bit past three forty-five that morning on the couch doing a search on his iPad. When he hears scratches from Madison's room, he knew that Scooter must've heard him out in the living room, so he ran to let the dog out before he could wake the sleeping girl up.

"Come on boy. You're not gonna believe the shit I'm finding on her Scoot." He watched as the dog stood next to him on the couch before plopping down in front of him and resting his head on Fitz's knee. "Listen to this list they have, it says.."

"Fitz?"

His attention was immediately off the dog that sat between his legs and onto his wife that was walking towards him wearing one of his t-shirts that she usually slept in.

"Livvie, what are you doing awake? You should be resting."

"I could say the same for you. What's wrong, what are you doing out here?"

"Nothing, just.. Scooter needed to go out." He came up with the lie out of nowhere but he knew his wife would see through it. First of all, Scooter was completely trained and hadn't had an accident in their home since the second week that he was there. Secondly, they'd let him out already for the night, and Olivia knew that if Scooter had awaked Fitz, then Madison would also be awake.

"Try again." She plopped down beside him, bringing her legs under her and stretching the shirt to cover her cold limbs.

"It's your doctors fault." He let out a loud sigh before running his fingers through his hair.

"What are you talking about?"

"She gave me that damn book on purpose. It's freaky as shit!"

"Fitz, what are you talking about, that book is amazing!"

"How would you know, have you read it?"

"Yes, I actually have. She gave it to us when I was pregnant with Madison, but of course _he_ never read it, so I took a look at it, and it was great. What did you find so bad about it?"

"The damn first page!" he grabbed the book from the kitchen counter where he had left it earlier and tossed it into her lap before telling her to open it.

Olivia obliged and opened the book to the first page and read the words aloud.

"Do not google search ANYTHING."

She read the sentence over and over before looking up at her husband that was clutching his iPad as if she would take it away from him.

"Babe…. Did you do a google search?" When he remained silent, she took that as a yes before continuing. "What did you search for?"

"I searched for everything. That line is in there on purpose because the author knows that's the FIRST thing a guy is going to do."

She could see that he was really upset but more nervous about his findings and tried to just hear him out before trying to rid his mind of all the junk he could have possibly been reading. She grabbed his hands in hers and pressed them to her stomach. She felt him pull his hands back for a second, not wanting to touch her at all. She kept her eyes on his, and locked her arms, so that he knew she didn't want him to let whatever was bothering him to stop him from loving and touching their unborn baby.

"What did it say, Fitz?"

He didn't answer her right away. He fought what he was feeling and swallowed the lump in his throat before tearing his eyes away from her worried gaze.

"I don't wanna tell you that stuff, Livvie. You don't need to worry about it."

"Babe, when I was pregnant with Mads, I did every horrible search for every symptom I felt I had. Just tell me. Be honest with me, what are you scared of?"

"Everything" he whispered. "It says the baby could get the umbilical cord around its neck and die, it said it could have its brain on the outside of its head, or their limbs could not develop or it could have down syndrome and disabilities and trust me Liv, that's fine, I would love our baby no matter what and we would cherish them and love them unconditionally, but it's just scary to think about everything that could happen. And it said so much about what could happen to you, and I can't imagine any of that happening."

"What did it say?"

"There are a million things, Livvie, I don't.."

"What wasn't so bad? Start with those."

"Well, you probably won't want to have sex with me anytime soon, which is okay." He quickly added, holding up his hands in defense. "I'm sure the baby won't be too keen on feeling that anyway" he muttered.

"Fitz, let me make two things clear for you. The baby can't get hurt from us having sex and I know that if this pregnancy is anything like my first one, it will be YOU that's going to be saying 'no' to ME. Not the other way around."

His head snapped up and he looked at her with a pained expression. "So you mean while you were pregnant with Mads, you and… would?"

"Babe stop. Don't go there. I'm just making sure you don't let that worry you."

"Well it also says," he began, sliding the screen off the iPad and bringing up the page he had been reading. "the baby, if it's a boy, he will fall in love with you and hate me, but then become afraid of me because he's afraid I'm gonna chop his penis off."

"That's the ridiculous Freudian theory, don't listen to it at all" she laughed light heartedly with a wave of her hand. "Our baby will love you so much, Fitz."

Fitz set the iPad down and watched her face light up as she talked about their child loving him and he felt his heart break at the thought of losing her. It terrified him.

"It also said that you could die giving birth."

His voice was quiet and deep, sending a chill down Olivia's spine with the way he said it, like it was bound to happen to them.

"And it was a real website, nothing people just posted, but real information. So many things could go wrong while you're in labor, and many of them lead to you bleeding out and dying. I'd never see you again, Livvie. Never."

Olivia moved closer to Fitz and cupped his cheeks, her thumbs brushing the tear that had fallen from each eye.  
"Baby, I'm going to be fine. I am going to deliver a perfectly healthy baby and you're going to be by my side coaching me through it and kissing my forehead even when I talk shitty to you. Our baby will come and we will be so happy, and Madison will be able to meet them and tell us how she's going to protect them forever. And then a few years later, we're going to have another little baby and the same thing is going to happen. We're all going to be happy and healthy, and it's going to be everything we've ever dreamed of. It's going to be great."

Fitz moved her hands from his face and pulled her into his lap, hugging her tightly to his chest and kissing any skin that his lips came in contact with.

"I love you Fitz." She pulled back and brought her lips to his, kissing him sensually, knowing that she wasn't in the mood for anything more, but wanting to show him how she was feeling in that one kiss.

"I love you too." He blushed embarrassed at how emotional he had gotten, but knew she'd scold him for feeling that way. "I ummm, I did another search too, but this one is good to know."

"Oh gosh, what is it?"

He didn't say anything, instead he grabbed the iPad and turned it around so she could read the page he had book marked.

"Babe, really? Oh my g*d you need to calm down and relax a little" she said looking at the page titled, 'Registered Sex Offenders in YOUR Neighborhood.'

"Umm, no I don't, there's a pervert living like four streets over. I think it's best to go over there and let him know that I know he's an offender."

Olivia's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in shock. "You most certainly will NOT be going over there to let him know that you know anything. Let's get you back to bed."

"Livvie, I'm serious, I think it would be a good idea…"

"No, and you're off the iPad for a while." She grabbed it from his hands, and moved to get up before pulling him up behind her. "Come on, Scoot" she spoke to the dog and waited for him to follow them down the hall. Fitz towered behind her with his arms draped over her shoulders and wrapped around her chest, taking wide steps behind her. "Night Scoots" Olivia cracked open Madison's door and watched the dog run to the foot of her bed and plop down on the soft bed that was there before she closed the door back quietly.

Olivia and Fitz climbed into bed together and before Olivia could move to lay against his chest, he was on his side gesturing for her to do the same, "let's get started on this position now" When she was on her side, Fitz pulled her back into his chest and brought his hands around and moved under her shirt before cupping her bare stomach. He kissed her neck multiple times before hovering over her ear and speaking sweet nothings until he felt her breathing even out.

"You and Smudgers are going to be perfect, Livvie."

"I appreciate you meeting with us, Mrs. Houser. We just wanted to give you an update on what's been going on when Madison is at home and we were hoping you had an update on how she's been coping at school as well."

"That's no problem at all. I know that what goes on at home is essential to how a child is successful at school so I am happy to meet with you. I can start by thanking you first Mrs. Grant for the tips you send me and different ways of responding to Madison that would make her more receptive. I've noticed a tremendous difference and have had a major improvement with her communicating to me. I'm embarrassed to say how much it affected me to know she was struggling because of her feelings towards my approach to her and it's done nothing but bring my joy to see her come out of her shell a little more these past three weeks."

"That means a lot to us," Fitz began. "Our little girl has been through a lot and we know she's a bit guarded and takes a while to trust people, so having you go the extra mile to see to it that she can develop a good relationship with her means a lot to us."

"It really does," Olivia nodded. "Since her incident at the playground she's been scared of falling off of anything and we are working on that with her. It's crazy, because she's usually such a daredevil so seeing her this way is mind-blowing."

"Oh, I've noticed. She was one of the first of the four kids that climbed to the top of the structure. She is such a delightful child, I tell you, and I'm really enjoying her in my class. I know we started out with some kinks, but I think we're getting over this hump."

"We feel the same way. I know she's just like every child and has her moments, but she really is a good girl, and I want you to be able to see and believe that." Olivia's eyes teared up speaking to Mrs. Houser and when she felt a couple run down her cheeks, she was embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

"Not needed—I completely understand. That's your baby girl and it's your job to make sure that everyone sees how amazing she really is."

Olivia nodded her head while swiping her tears away. She smiled in thanks as the teacher handed her a Kleenex, and she could feel Fitz's large hand start to rub up and down her back.

"That was all that I really had to say. I can add that academically she's doing superb. A little advanced, from what I can tell. Socially she does great. Her and Lennox are attached at the hip…" She stopped when Fitz groaned and rolled his eyes.

"No need to worry, Mr. Grant. They're usually together at the home center, and while most of the kids are quick to pick a husband or boyfriend, Madison refers to Lennox as her brother. They have a cute friendship and really look after one another."

"See, honey? That's good news." Olivia nudged his shoulder with hers before snickering. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Definitely not. We don't encourage that type of talk and play anyway. Well, not in my classroom. They're too young to be thinking about such grown up things." She laughed with Fitz and Olivia before settling down. "Was there anything else I could help you guys with? Are either of you, well, mostly you Mr. Grant, possibly available for our Thanksgiving Day volunteer sign up? It's still weeks away, but since I have you here I can give you first dibs on sign ups."

"Actually, yes! I'm changing positions that month," Fitz said, not feeling the need to disclose all the information from quitting his job. "But if there's a certain day I can block off and know it now, that should work perfectly. What do you have, activity or station-wise?"

Fitz was more than eager to look through the volunteer sheet and sign up for a task. Sitting beside him, Olivia was just as excited for him and knew their daughter would be as well.

"I'm feeling a bit jealous right now," Olivia whined a bit, leaning closer to Fitz to take a look at the sign-up sheet.

"I'm gonna see if mom wants to come, too. I'm sure she'd love to help with the food as well."

"Just rub it in, why don't you, babe?"

"Mrs. Grant, don't worry—this is our small function we do for November. Come December, we came up with something new this year, and we are having an after school holiday party and family is invited. We did have to put some limitation on the event, so there are only five family members per student, including the student."

"That sounds really nice. Madison has been dying to show her grandfather her school, so she'll love that"

They continued to talk and go over the sign-up sheet, Fitz signing up for drinks and decorations, and Olivia getting a heads up on what help would be needed for the Holiday party. When it was past the time that their meeting was over, they bid Mrs. Houser a good day and left the office feeling happy with their little girl's progress and the partnership they'd developed with the teacher.

"Babe, can you finish her up?" Olivia's loud voice carried through the house and into their bedroom where Fitz was standing at his sink with his face lathered in foam with the exception of the three strokes he had already made.

He turned towards the door and sighed before grabbing his face towel and razor and walking out of the room and into Madison's bathroom. "You okay?"

"Yea, the throwing up has stopped but the nausea still comes and goes on its own. Can you finish her up once you're done? I'm gonna make some tea."

"Yea, no problem. But what about her hair?"

"Just rinse it good and pile it up, I'm gonna braid it before bed so it's good for tomorrow."

He nodded once and peeked at Madison before going back to shaving.

"Daddy be very careful so you don't get cut anymore"

"I will Sweets, I promise. Mommy wouldn't be too happy if I make a cut on my face before we take our pictures tomorrow."

"Nope. She said we have to look very nice. I have to wear my bonnet on my hair after mommy braid it tonight."

Her eyes grew large, expressing the seriousness of the situation. Madison leaned her chin on her folded hands and stared at her daddy while he continued to shave his face. It didn't take long for him to finish and splash water on his face before drying it off and turning to Madison.

"Alright Mads, let the water out please."

Madison obeyed immediately and stood up with her arms held out. Grabbing her towel, Fitz lifted her under the arms and stood her on the floor mat before drying her off.

"My hair is dripping, daddy. It's collllld" she whined, shivering dramatically.

"My hair is dripping, daddy. It's colllld." Fitz mimicked his daughter's words and brought the towel to her hair before quickly rubbing the towel against her curls. "Alright, come on." He wrapped the towel back around her body and hoisted her up into his arms before carrying her into her bedroom and depositing her onto her bed.

"Alright, put your undies on." Fitz told her and tossed a pair of blue Elsa panties to her.

Madison dropped the towel from her body and bounced on the bed while Fitz rummaged through her drawers for pajama's that he knew she wouldn't fight him on. As of late all she'd wear were nightgowns to bed, and once he found one, he moved towards her and stopped her from bouncing before helping her maneuver into the dress.

"Alright, go find your mama" he swung her up in his arms before kissing her nose and releasing her.

Madison tip-toed into her parent's room, wanting to surprise her mom. She did her best to walk quietly and kept her mouth covered with her hand so giggles wouldn't slip out the way they had the last time she tried to sneak into their room. Hearing her mother's voice coming from inside of her closet, Madison got on her hands and knees and crawled to the opened door and watched her carefully as she stood there talking to herself. She had stripped out of her clothes and was standing in her bra and panties looking through shirts.

Olivia held up the hanger that held Madison's picture outfit on it and brought it towards her own shirts to match the colors as much as possible. Taking a dark green colored shirt from the hangers, Olivia slipped the shirt on and began to button it up. It was when she got to the end that she felt the shirt tighten a bit and she had to maneuver the shirt around to button the last few. Turning her body to the side, she unbuttoned the shirt before grabbing another and doing the same thing. When she took the second shirt off, Olivia brought her hands down to the small bump and smiled brightly.

She had noticed the small, hardened curve that formed on the bottom of her stomach, just above her panty line the morning before and it made her ecstatic. It was the first sign other than the morning sickness that had stopped two weeks ago, the dizzy spells she often got, and the sore breasts that hadn't yet begun to spill out of her B-cup bras that her little baby was indeed growing. This little bump of hers was like finding treasure. She and Fitz had spent nearly an hour last night talking to their little Smudgers and Olivia loved seeing the effect it was having on her wardrobe, even if it was minuscule.

"Mommy?" Madison's voice was unsure and timid. Olivia looked up before glancing down at her daughter that was on all fours, and smiled at her.

"Hi Toots. Come here."

Madison crawled to her mother before standing up. Her fingers grabbed at a piece of her hair and began twirling it while staring at Olivia.

"What's up baby?" Olivia sat down on the bench behind her and wrapped her hands around her little waist.

"Why are you talking to your belly? Why is it poking out? Did you eat too much food?"

Olivia smiled at her little girl and looked her over for a second. She and Fitz had talked about telling Madison about the baby tonight, especially with the pictures they wanted to take tomorrow, and although this wasn't the way that they'd plan to do it, Olivia didn't mind one bit. She was happy to have this conversation with her little girl and as much as she would like to have Fitz come in and share the moment, she decided to just talk with her and go with the flow.

"Well, I was talking to my belly because when I went to the doctor the other day, they told me that me and daddy made a baby and it's in my belly."

"A baby?" she asked shocked, her little mouth falling open.

"Yes, a baby. It's a little bitty baby in there, but since the baby is growing every day, my belly is going to get bigger."

"The baby is in there?" her little hands were quickly on her mother's stomach.

"Yea, right inside"

"Is it a fake baby or a real baby?"

Olivia wondered what type of questions Madison would ask about the baby. She had never really been around a baby before and didn't know much about them at all. Scooping Madison onto her lap, she let the little girl straddle her waist before holding her smaller hands against her stomach.

"Me and daddy took so much of our love and we made a real baby. The baby has to stay inside of my belly until he or she grows big enough to come out. It's going to take a few months for the baby to be born and when they come you're going to be the big sister"

"Like Elsa?!" The excitement in her eyes told Olivia that she finally understood what was going on. "The baby is gonna be my little sister like Anna is Elsa little sister!"

Her hands rubbed against Olivia's stomach and excitement and Olivia winced a little at the false hope her little girl might have.

"Toots, now the baby could be a sister, but it might be a brother too."

"No, big sisters have little sisters like Anna!" she said so sure of herself.

"What's going on in here?" Fitz asked walking into the closet to see his little girl straddling her half naked mother.

"Mommy has my little sister Anna in her belly! She has to grow big so she can come out of mommy's belly. You and mommy had so much love so it made a baby!"

Fitz laughed at his daughter, only being able to imagine the type of explanation his wife could've given Madison for her to come up with what she said.

"Well Mommy does have a baby in her belly, but it could be a baby boy. If it's a boy, then it will be your baby brother."

"No daddy, big sisters have little sisters named Anna."

"But sweetie, it could be a…."

"I say we pick a different battle to fight, Livvie."

Fitz shook his head knowing their daughter could go back and forth for hours and he didn't have the stamina to. They had an early morning of getting ready before heading out for their family photos they were finally getting taken, and it was a bit of a drive away.

"Agreed." Olivia popped a quick kiss onto Madison's lips before standing up placing her on her feet. "Go get your hair stuff ready so we can do your braids, baby."

Madison skipped out of the closet excitedly knowing that as of late her mother would let her watch a short cartoon while she tended to her hair at night.

When she was gone, Fitz moved close to Olivia and wrapped one hand around to the small of her back, his hand immediately dipping under the waistband of her panties and rubbing her soft skin.

"How in the hell are we going to keep her from telling everyone you have a baby in your belly?"

"I haven't the slightest idea." She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest, the long day catching up to her. "And somehow I could care less."

**AN: Thanks so much for reading guys, and im so sorry for the long delay. Finals are finally over and so is the semester! A couple weeks before summer semester starts, so definitely expect the next chapter a lot sooner- in fact the first 7 pages are already written and the plot is laid out. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**PS- You'll notice that from now on, I've corrected the "Livy" to "Livvie" lol and even changed it for previous chapters. Reasons.**


	17. Chapter 16

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYNN! Happy Scandal Finale Day- PS I wrote this AN early in the day so if SR fucked us over, I'm sorry and I take back what I said about "happy" finale day. Anywho, sometimes the juices just flow and updates pop out and this week was one of those weeks! Hope you enjoy this chapter. It picks up right where the last one ended and has a mini jump in it but it's barely noticeable. Thanks Mo for your help and input on this first part! Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading and leaving reviews!**

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The next morning, Olivia, Fitz, Madison, and Scooter pulled into a parking spot at Greenway Fields where they planned to meet up with Shawn Waters. Shaun was the photographer they had chosen to take their family pictures and he had been kind enough to push their session back as the family got settled in from their busy previous weeks. Wounds from Madison's accident healed up well, and once the scars were completely faded the photos were rescheduled. It was no easy task keeping the small child from picking at her scars, a nasty habit she had, but with the way Olivia kept her bandaged up unless she was within her sight helped a lot.

The place they were heading to was a gorgeous field that was wide open with high grass and rocks to offset the beautiful background. There were poses Olivia knew she wanted to take pictures in, but had left the rest up to Shawn's creativity. He was a skilled photographer that Olivia had researched and trusted to take the first of many family photos with the Grants.

"Ok so, before we begin the family portion, what I want to do is spend a little time capturing Madison in her element. What I mean is I want to capture her just being her. I want to get as much of her innocence into these photos as possible. Also, since she's so young, I'd like to try to think of ways to get each photo with as little posing as possible. Of course we'll still have a few staged photos, but posing a child steals away from the liveliness a picture is supposed to portray." Shaun stated as he watched the wide eyed child taking in her sights. Liv nodded her head in agreement, while Fitz just listened in stoically. On the inside he was melting, knowing there would be a permanent reminder of just how happy their little girl is in this moment. However, part of him wasn't ready to accept the fact that one day, these pictures would be all they had to look back on as Madison continued to grow and flourish in life. Fitz's eyes shifted and he noticed Liv subconsciously splay her hand across her belly, and he couldn't help but smile. His little girl may be growing up, but their family was only going to expand from here on out, and he was blessed that he had been given this gift.

"Mads, leave your sweater on!" Fitz heard Liv chastising their daughter, effectively pulling him from his thoughts.

"But Mommmeee! It's so hot!" Madison began to whine as she continued tugging on her sweater. It was the week before thanksgiving so it was far from warm outside, but it was one of the milder days. Liv didn't want to chance Madison getting sick, but she had to admit that the heat lamps that Shaun had set up was making it rather warm even for them being outside in the brisk November air.

"You can open it Mad's, but leave it on for now." Liv compromised. She smiled as Madison unbuttoned her sweater, and began prancing around the open field. She and Fitz continued to speak with Shaun about the various poses that he had envisioned for their shoot, but they were shocked when he paused mid-sentence and grabbed his camera before taking off in Madison's direction.

Liv looked at Fitz who shrugged as he was just as clueless as she. They joined Madison and Shaun who were now in the center of the field. Shaun was busy snapping pictures of Madison who was giggling as the wind blew an errant curl and it was now tickling her nose. It wasn't until the duo approached that they understood just what the big issue was.

In the center of the field was a lone patch of Lilies. It was odd because they were far out of their element, for one; being alone in a wide open field, and two; surviving the November chill. Madison was crouched down in front of the patch of flowers. She cupped the bloom in her hand, but was being careful to not break it from its stem. Shaun was snapping pictures so fast, Liv was sure he caught the transformation of Madison's facial expressions from shock, to wonder, to awe, and then finally to laughter as the breeze blew her curls into her face.

"Daddy look!" Madison exclaimed as she looked up and noticed her parents close behind her. Fitz knelt down by his daughter's side and smiled as he too was infatuated with the bloom. Not wanting to be left out, Liv knelt down on the other side of Mad's and was soon wearing a smile just as big as the one's on her husband and daughter's faces. The entire time, none of them realized that Shaun was steady snapping pictures, capturing the entire moment.

"Mommy, how is the flower still alive? Mrs. Houser said that the flowers went to sleep until spring time." Madison asked as she gently stroked one of the petals.

"I don't know baby. Maybe they knew you were coming and wanted to hold out to see your pretty face." She answered as that was the best, most genuine answer she could give at that time.

It didn't take long for Madison to become bored with the flowers. "Daddy, can Scooter come out of the car now?" Mads asked, offering her father the poutiest of faces.

"Sure, how about you come help me." Fitz suggested, earning him a nod from Madison. The two of them ran towards the car with Madison's tiny hand tucked tightly into Fitz's. Madison's curls were flowing freely behind her, and they were both so happy and carefree in this moment. Liv looked to her left and smiled as she noticed Shaun snapping away, capturing this moment.

"Ok Mrs. Grant. Before they come back, I'd like to take a few pictures of just you by yourself." Shawn suggested. Liv stood silently for a moment, pondering his request, and reluctantly agreed.

As Fitz and Mads were making their way back towards where they were set up to take their family pictures, he couldn't help but stop and take in the beauty that was his wife. Her hair was straight with just the slightest hint of curls. It was flowing with the wind, and she had the biggest smile on her face as her hands instinctively covered her stomach. He watched in awe as one hand remained on her belly, while the other came up to rest under her chin. Just when he thought she couldn't be any more beautiful, she goes and does something as simple as this and it takes his breath away.

"Come on Mads, let's go meet up with mommy."

"I'll race you daddy!"

"Ok.. On three ok?"

"Ok daddy."

"One… Two… Hey! You cheated!" Fitz stood looking as if he had been slapped in the face as Madison took off before he was able to say three.

He recovered quickly, and began running after his daughter. "I'm winning! I'm winning! Mommy look!" Madison yelled as she pushed as fast as her little feet would carry her. When Fitz finally caught up to Madison, he picked her up, and began tickling her in his arms.

"Daddy! Enough! I'm sorry daddy! Stop!" She squealed through her fit of giggles.

"You promise you're sorry?" Fitz asked, trying his hardest to be serious in this moment.

"I promise daddy!" Madison squealed even louder as she tried to push Fitz's hands away from her body. All of the commotion had Scooter jumping up and down and barking, trying to save his tiny owner.

Fitz loved seeing Madison smile, and he loved it even more when he was the reason why. After a few beats, Fitz set Madison down, and smiled as she ran off towards Liv with Scooter close behind. When she approached her mother, Madison placed one hand on each of her mother's hips. Liv in turn fixed Madison's hair before resting her hands on Madison's arms. She looked down lovingly at her daughter as Madison began to speak.

"Hey baby sister, I know you didn't see it because it's dark in there but did you hear it? I beat daddy in a race. He tickled me though because I cheated. But I won't cheat with you. I can't wait to see you." She said and finished with a huge kiss on Olivia's stomach. Fitz smiled as he noticed that Shaun had snapped the picture at the exact moment Madison kissed Olivia's stomach.

Seeing as how they were already standing in the perfect position, Shaun asked Fitz to move behind Liv. When he reached his wife, Fitz placed his hands on top of Olivia's that were still resting on Madison's arms. "Hey Madison, I loved that kiss you gave the baby, can you do it again?" He asked causing Madison to look up at him with the widest smile.

"Ok daddy!" She responded just before placing another huge kiss on Olivia's belly. Out of the corner of her eye, Liv could see Shaun snapping away, and she secretly wondered just how many pictures he'd have once they were finished. It seemed like he had already taken so many, and they were nowhere near finished yet.

**Xx**

Olivia and Fitz sat on the picnic blanket while they watched Madison run around. Liv was resting her head on his chest, while his arm wrapped around her body, his hand resting on her stomach. They watched on in amusement as Madison ran around with Scooter, while Shaun tried his best to keep up with the energetic duo. Since Madison loved the attention of the camera, they decided to let her have her fun, and hopefully work off some of that energy.

"How are you feeling?" Fitz asked as he rested his chin on the top of Olivia's head.

"I feel great to be honest. I love that we can be out here like this and just enjoy the day." Liv stated honestly. Even though they were there to have their pictures taken, it was still a peaceful family day. Shaun was doing his best to keep Madison in good spirits, and judging by the pitch of her laughter, she'd say that he was doing a wonderful job at it.

"Mommy look at me! I'm riding Scooter!" Madison yelled out, causing Liv and Fitz to both look in her direction.

Olivia and Fitz both turned and looked at a gleefully smiling Madison as she was riding on Scooter's back as if he were a horse. With one hand she held onto his collar, and the other was high in the air, as their dog slowly trotted towards them with Madison in tow. Whenever Olivia sees Madison riding the dog, her first instinct is to always yell or run and stop her, but this time she didn't as she realized that Scooter always handled Madison with the utmost of care and he only had a few feet left until he reached them. He looked as though he only had one thing on his mind, and that was getting the girl off his back and he knew that his human parents would make it happen. Madison wasn't necessarily heavy, but wasn't light enough for the family dog to be her form of transportation.

"Good boy, Scooter" Fitz spoke softly when the dog plopped down beside him and Olivia, leaving Madison to roll off of his back cackling. The second Madison was off his back, Scooter stood up and moved in front of Olivia's outstretched legs before turning in a circle and gently easing down into her lap, facing her stomach.

"Hey baby boy. You're such a good boy, aren't you?" she praised, scratching his ears.

"You know he knows you're pregnant right?

"Yea, I think he does. I think he knew before I even started showing. He's got this protective, shadowing thing going on, like someone else I know" she looked over her shoulder at Fitz making sure he knew she was referring to him.

"What's pregnant?" Madison asked, moving to stand next to her daddy. Her right arm went around the back of his shoulder as his left arm came around her waist to hold her closer to him.

"Pregnant means you're going to have a baby. Remember when we told you last night that mommy has a baby in her stomach? That's called being pregnant." He explained realizing Olivia probably didn't use that term with her the night before.

"Can only people get pregnant?"

"Nope, animals get pregnant too. That's how they have baby animals like puppies, kittens, and ducklings and other baby animals."

"Oooooo" she drawled out.

Madison stood there asking a few more questions, and Olivia looked on as her husband answered each question, even the strange ones, with patience and a smile. She would catch glimpses of Shaun changing out his lens and taking pictures from different angles, every once in a while telling the family to look his way. It only took a few minutes of talking to her daddy, while subtly watching her mother stroke Scooter's fur until Madison eased her way to straddling her mother's lap and laying her head against her chest and touching her stomach. Scooter didn't mind, and took his position next to Fitz once again, knowing that Madison was in charge. Shaun took a few more photos as they continued to talk, being sure to set the camera to take pictures nonstop in order to catch every single second.

A couple minutes later, after realizing their session was getting near the end, Shaun interrupted the chatty family and had to stand up and do certain poses. He had Madison stand by him as he did shots of Olivia and Fitz together. He didn't want to give them too much direction, and after they tried a few staged poses that they ended up laughing through, Shaun snapped away, purposely wanting to capture those genuine smiles and laughter. Shaun captured four of his favorite serious composed shots of Olivia and Fitz when he asked them to recite their wedding vows to one another. All of the couple he asked this of always chuckled awkwardly before they realized he was serious and nearly halfway through they'd find their own rhythm and become serious. He never instructed them on how to stand or if they needed to recreate the moment specifically, and it always turned out perfect and non-rehearsed. They never remembered their exact vows and it always worked perfectly because they'd just start talking to one another. His favorite position that he'd captured with Olivia and Fitz had her standing up the tips of her toes with her arms wound around his neck and her head rested against his chest while Fitz's hands rested low on her waist with his lips pressed in her hair.

When Shaun had Madison join in, he snapped a few natural photos of her being hoisted on Fitz's hip with Olivia smiling up at the two of them. He took them further into the open field and snapped away as they walked. His favorite was when Madison decided she no longer needed to wear her shoes, and Fitz obediently listened to his little girl's sweet request and the tiny shoes dangled off two of his fingers and she wrapped her legs around his waist and looked back at the camera over his shoulder. Olivia had been walking in front of him, so it was a perfect shot that was just father and daughter. Knowing they were expecting, Shaun had Fitz put Madison on his shoulders and once she was settled on top, Fitz bent down and brought his lips to Olivia's small baby bump, and when Madison noticed she was at eye level with her mom, her smile instantly make Olivia light up and she leaned forward waiting for the little girl to kiss her puckered up lips.

Their final shot was on Olivia and Fitz sitting back on the blanket next to each other while Madison sat in front of them crisscross.

"Alright guys, this is gonna be weird, but Fitz, just go for it" Shaun spoke and while Olivia looked at him confused, Fitz smirked and shook his head before leaning to the side, propped on his arm and brought his free hand to Olivia's cheek and turned her face capturing her lips in a soft kiss. Fitz let everyone else fade from his mind and focused on kissing his Livvie and when Shaun noticed they were in their own world, he picked up the sonogram from the blanket and handed it to Madison. She inspected it for a couple of seconds before he asked her to show it to him, and she grabbed both edges of it before thrusting it towards him, directly into the camera's view. He took a half a step back and snapped a few photos of her holding it out to him before he looked up and spoke to her.

"Hey Madison, doesn't it look like a puppy in the picture?"

She cackled loudly at that. "No! It's my baby sister and I'm gonna be the big sister." She looked down at the photo smiling at it proudly allowing Shaun to capture the perfect shot.

* * *

"Promise me you won't say anything rude"

"Sure"

"No, promise me"

"Okay"

"Sarah Elizabeth!"

"Fitzgerald Thomas! Stop. You act like I'm some racist monster or something."

"Sorry," Fitz sighed, releasing the deep breath he had inhaled. "I just know you. You had a black roommate for three years and you guys are still best friends, but that doesn't mean that you know everything about black people and it certainly doesn't mean that you know Liv."

"You know the longer you talk, the more offended I get. Got anything else?"

"Just be.."

"Fitz, why don't I just be myself? Does that work for you?"

"I'm sorry. It was just hard explaining to my WIFE why we've been together for over a year and my sister has yet to visit, let alone come to our wedding."

"Fitz, I have an eight month old. When you guys got married I had a two month old that had just gotten over RSV, so don't come at me with that shit Fitz. My child being in the hospital scared the shit out of me and you know I wanted to be there, but there was no way in hell I was traveling with her anywhere."

Fitz sighed and moved the phone away from his ear and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew everything his sister was saying was true and he hated that he brought it up. His niece had been very sick at just six weeks old and ended up in the hospital with RVS shortly after. He wanted to fly out when his parents had but that was such a crazy time and with Sarah's in-laws there as well, he knew they had all the support they needed.

"I'm sorry, Sarah. You're right and I'm sorry I brought it up. I know it's hard to even think about traveling with Addie after what happened but I'm glad you guys will be here for Thanksgiving. Forgive me okay? I just really want you to meet them. I have for some time now and I just want you guys to really hit it off."

"Fitz, we will hit it off, we're family. No matter what that's my new sister and I'm very excited to meet her and my new niece. Will you guys be over for dinner tonight?"

"That's the plan. It's Liv's last day before the holiday so I'm gonna go pick her up then grab Maddie and we're gonna come over."

"Good, I'm nearly done packing and Jeff is finishing up some last minute calls now then we are gonna load up and go to the airport. Pray for me. I am not so sure about a four hour flight from Idaho with an eight month old. We are flying Empire of course which I'm not too thrilled about, but it didn't cost us a fortune so there's that."

"It'll be fine. Maybe Addie will just sleep the entire time if you plan her nap time around it. And Empire is great or else Jeff wouldn't let you guys use them. How is everything with the company since the big move and official job change?"

"It's good. He loves being with corporate now and he basically gets to make his own hours so it's nice."

Jeff was one of the Executives at Empire Airlines and it was almost two years ago that the company asked him to step up and work at the corporate office in Idaho. Although Sarah was very against moving away from her family, she knew she had to support her husband and all things considered, it was the best choice for her family. She'd gotten used to the weather, found some great friends and was happy to be where life had taken them.

"Well I'm gonna let you finish getting ready for your flight and I'm gonna get back to work, myself."

"Oh yea, how's that going?"

"Very good. My new office is nearly all set up and we plan to officially start accepting patients December first."

"I'm proud of you for getting out from under that bitch you were working for. Alright, clock's a ticking. I'll see you guys later."

"Alright, text me when you guys board and land. Have a safe flight, Sarah. Love you."

"Love you too big brother. Bye."

Fitz hung up the phone and got out of his car and made his way into the entrance of the hospital and checked in at the front desk. He looked at his watch and realized he had just over an hour before he needed to pick Olivia up and then Madison. It wasn't that uncommon for him to wake up with his girls and drop them off in the morning since he had the time off now, and he enjoyed catering to them before his days got busy when the new office would open up. When his name was called just minutes later, he looked up and saw one of the women from HR waiting for him and followed her to her office. Inside there were two other administrators that worked with their claims department, and Fitz sat down and began answering their questions.

After talking it over with Cyrus a few days ago when he'd come to clean out his locker, he realized that he had a lot of ammo to file a sexual harassment claim against Mellie. He was done with the job and really could care less, but he wanted to be sure that he had spoken up and filed the complaint just in case she pulled it with someone else. A paper trail spoke volumes, and he would make sure to give as much information on the unprofessionalism he experienced.

* * *

"Alright class, I want you guys to come up and grab your papers when I call your name, please."

"Are you giving us all of our work that we did?" one of the students questioned.

"Not everything, remember some of your assignments will go into your portfolio for your parents to see when they come for the Holiday folder we're going to give them. Alright, Adam….. Jennifer….. Sara….Javier…... Marcus….Maria…"

Olivia continued to pass out the assignments to the students and moved to sit back behind the Elmo (projector) and brought up the slide she needed. She looked up to address her class but noticed a hand raised by one of the little girls in the class.

"Yes, Claire?"

"When we come back to school on Monday, how many weeks will your baby be?"

Olivia laughed as many of the students nodded and smiled, happy to learn more about her pregnancy. It was just weeks ago that she'd gotten sick in class and had to have an aide come in until her nausea had subsided for the day. Most of her students had older and younger siblings, but only Claire had a baby sister on the way, and would question Olivia on all things about her pregnancy and the baby.

"Well Claire, I will be four months along."

"My mommy is five months along. We got to see that it was a girl since my mommy is getting closer to have her."

"I remember you told us. That's very exciting, Claire."

"When your baby starts moving, can we feel it?" another student, Marcus spoke up surprising Olivia.

"Um, well that might can happen. Let's get back on subject guys. We are going to look at the different climates during the month of December and I want you all to get out a sheet of your graphing paper from your bins and we are going to graph the temperature changes during the months of winter."

Olivia continued to go on with her lesson plan and when she had the students break off in groups, she checked her calendar over and let her mind drift to the evening they had planned. She was very excited to finally meet Sarah and her family, especially her baby girl. Olivia hadn't been around a baby since Madison was one, and she was excited to have them here until Saturday evening. Madison also was excited about meeting her Aunt Sarah and little cousin. Also her uncle since the only one she had was Harrison and she missed him dearly. Olivia had been nervous about seeing them before being able to give them their Christmas card that revealed the pregnancy pictures, because she figured they would be able to tell, but she had lucked out and gotten the reveal prints back just two days ago and had the envelops ready to hand out. The rest of their photos would be ready in a few weeks, but she was glad Shaun was able to expedite the few they needed. Olivia had only just begun to show, but still only people that really knew her body, or held her close enough would be able to actually feel the bump and notice that she was pregnant.

She loved that Catherine had figured it out, and found herself at least twice a week sending her mother in law text messages, or calling her about things she'd read in her _What To Expect_ book. She had always had a great relationship with her, but it seemed as though her being pregnant brought them even closer together. As much as Olivia didn't want many people to know, there was no way she could keep the news from her best friend and telling Abby had been so simple, yet fun.

_Olivia and Abby walked side by side into The Children's Place clothing store, immediately mesmerized by the fun colors they had out for their winter line. Olivia loved to get Madison's Christmas clothes shopping out of the way early and it was always something her and Abby did together. Madison hadn't hit a growth spurt since the summer started and Olivia knew they'd get the right sizes that she could wear throughout the rest of winter and well into the New Year._

"_What all are you wanting to get? Pants, Shirts, underclothes, or just a couple of outfits?" Abby asked heading to the 4 and 5T racks. _

"_Just a few cute outfits and some long sleeve shirts mostly. I think her arms are getting longer or something, or Fitz is shrinking them in the wash."_

"_I'd bet my money on him shrinking them. She's still a shrimp, and there are some things that your husband is not perfect at. Laundry is probably one of them."_

"_Yea, yea leave my perfect man alone" she said blushing._

_Abby walked over to the display outfits they had out and began putting certain ones in the cart not noticing Olivia disappear just a few feet away from her. Abby turned to look for her and saw her walking towards her with a handful of items. _

"_Alright, I need your opinion on these" she began and hung the items on a nearby rack before holding up each one to show Abby._

"_It's cute, but it's not Maddie… That one is a definite. You guys can coordinate with a cute pair of jeans and your Uggs."_

"_That's what I thought. Okay, now this one." She held up a cute button up flannel shirt that had yellow and blue patterns._

"_You know how I feel about flannel personally, but she looks so damn good it in so yes."_

_Abby looked down to grab her vibrating phone from her pocket and when she looked up she shot Liv a questioning look seeing the blue collared shirt with a tie hanging from the neck._

"_Umm no. What are you going for the bring your daughter to work day and having her match Fitz?"_

"_You're right it's ridiculous. Your niece would look crazy in that."_

_Abby nodded and moved her fingers swiftly across her phone, answering a text message. _

"_But what about this?" _

_Abby looked up at the tiny collared onesie with a itty bitty bow tie attached to it that Olivia held and raised a questioning eyebrow._

"_Think your nephew would look cute in this?"_

"_My nephew?"_

_Olivia stared at Abby and looked to her left and right before slowly inching her sweater up and draping the tiny shirt against her small bump. _

"_I think it suits him well, don't you?"_

"_Oh my god.. Liv are you really? I'm gonna be an aunt again? You're pregnant?"_

_Olivia nodded her head as tears filled her eyes and Abby's arms instantly encircled her frame. The two of them held each other while they both cried tears of joy at the news in the back of the clothing store._

"_How far along are you? When did you find out? It's a boy?"_

"_No, no, sorry I shouldn't have said that, but I think it's a boy. I found out the day Madison had her accident at school. We had just taken a test that morning, and when we left Madison with you guys for a while we had gone down to get checked by a doctor and they confirmed it"_

_Olivia blushed and smiled brightly at her best friend when she noticed her getting choked up._

"_How far along?"_

"_Tomorrow marks the thirteenth week! We are taking photos this weekend and we're gonna have some photos that we are gonna use on the Christmas card and it'll reveal the news. We haven't decided on all the poses, but I'm sure one with Mad's kissing my stomach and Fitz holding me and the sonogram. I don't know, we're just so happy, and we're not telling anyone but Catherine figured it out all on her own. We haven't even told Mads yet, but I couldn't wait any longer to tell you._

"_Liv, I'm so happy for you! You're gonna have it all this time around. A husband that dotes on you and treats you perfectly and takes care of the both of you."_

_Abby couldn't stop the tears that came and pulled Olivia into a tight hug. They were sure people were staring at them by now, but neither of them cared at all. This was a moment they'd both been waiting for. _

Olivia looked up from her desk, where she sat looking over her student's homework when she heard three quick knocks on wall followed by footsteps. A grin appeared on her face when she noticed her husband walking towards her desk and she felt a pressing urge to feel his lips against hers. Olivia wasted no time moving towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck before devouring his lips in a succulent kiss. Fitz reciprocated her eagerness and kept up with her pace, allowing his hands to roam freely through her hair before making their way down to her firm ass. When the need to breathe became too much to handle, they both broke apart, and Olivia immediately buried her face in his neck, laying small kisses to his skin.

"Is my Livvie feeling good today?"

"I am. I'm feeling really good. I think the all day sickness is completely gone which means you are MINE tonight"

Fitz let out a low growl at her words and kissed her heatedly again before pulling away and lifting her against him.

"Would it be the worst thing in the world to christen…"

"Don't even finish that sentence. Hello, innocent bystander here"

Olivia blushed and buried her face into Fitz's chest, pushing her way down his body until her feet were flat on the floor. She turned around to see her second grade teacher partner shaking her head while smirking.

"Sorry Nicole, we got a little carried away."

"Surrrrrre, a little." She said laughing at the blush that rose in Olivia's cheeks. "Hi Fitz."

"Hey Nicole, how are you today? Students driving you crazy?"

"All is well. It's Thanksgiving break, so they couldn't get to me today if they tried. Now I gotta get out of here, but what's this morning sickness I heard you speak of, Liv?" she eyed her suspiciously and wondered if she was right about her friend being pregnant. Nicole knew you didn't just ask a woman if they were pregnant because it was rude, but they had given her the perfect opportunity to ask.

Olivia winced and looked up to Fitz silently telling him that they had no other choice. She didn't want to lie to her friend and she knew she could keep a secret.

"My morning sickness, or all day sickness as it turns out to be has finally been gone for a number of days where I feel it's safe to say it's completely over with."

"So are you saying you're pregnant?" Her hands were in front of her and clinched together in a hesitant stance.

"Guilty" she spoke quietly before blushingly glancing up at Fitz and tightening her hold around his waist.

"Liv, that's awesome! I'm so happy for you guys!"

She wasted no time pulling her away from Fitz and hugging her tightly.

"Hey now, you can't squish my baby" Fitz spoke up, grabbing a hold of Liv's arm and pulling her closer to him.

Nicole took a step back and put her hands up in surrender and laughed. "My bad, my bad. Don't worry, I will be very mindful of Jr. in there"

"Jr?" Fitz questioned, curious as to how she'd come up with that conclusion.

"It's gotta be a boy in there. I'm always right about these things. Alright, you guys get out of here and I'm gonna do the same."

"Wait, Nicole," Olivia began before she could walk away.

"No worries Liv, my lips are sealed." She sent them a wink before walking away.

Olivia let out a small sigh of relief before turning around and grabbing Fitz's arms and placing them around her waist. She rested her chin against his chest and looked up at him. He smiled down at her and brought one hand up to her face and slid a finger down the bridge of her nose.

"You, my wife are so damn beautiful. I still can't believe you married me."

"I had to snag you up before Ms. Tanner dug her claws into ya" Olivia snickered referring to the secretary that worked at the front desk of her school. It was a running joke that she was in love with Fitz, and although they referred to it as a joke, they both knew that she definitely had a crush on him.

"That crazy lady could do whatever she wanted and I wouldn't even look in her direction, Livvie."

"If you worked here, she'd harass you daily."

"If I worked here, I'd have ANOTHER harassment report to file."

Olivia chuckled before pushing up on her toes and kissing him softly.

"I'm glad you're mine." Fitz went to kiss her again when he saw her glance at the clock on the wall behind him and pull away. "We gotta get out of here, and go get little missy before heading to your parents. I'm so excited, babe."

"Me too, Livvie, me too."

* * *

"Is time to see my baby cousin yet?"

"No"

Fitz and Olivia spoke in unison and rolled their eyes from having to answer that question for what seemed like the hundredth time since they'd picked her up from school nearly an hour ago. She'd been anxious to get over to her grandparents house and meet new family, and although her excitement started off as being cute, it was becoming more annoying than anything.

"I'm pretty sure I've got a migraine."

Olivia rolled her eyes at Fitz and turned away from him. "Well at least you can take something for your headache. I need to get a list of medicine that I can take while pregnant."

Before she could continue, Scooter's loud barks started up again from the backyard and Olivia groaned loudly.

"Babe, please take him for a walk before we leave. Pleeeeeeasssseeee. That's why he's acting like that and you know it. You ran so many errands today you abandoned him and he wants to go for a walk. And hey, I'm giving you the easier of the two. I'll stay with motor mouth and you take him on a quick walk. Ten minutes tops, then we can leave."

"You're right." He sighed before standing up. "As a matter of fact, Madison, get your sweatshirt on and put your shoes on, let's go walk Scooter."

"Can I take my bike?" she asked with wide eyes and clenched fingers prepared to beg if she had to.

"Yes, let's get your helmet on first."

She ran off to the laundry room to put her shoes on and Fitz and Olivia could hear her busying herself with securing the velcro on her play shoes.

"You didn't have to take her, babe."

"Oh I know, but this way you can lay down for a few minutes before we head out. You're gonna need your energy tonight."

"You really think your sister is going to drain me tonight?"

"That, and once we get back home," he began and turned to her with a wide smirk on his face. "I definitely plan to collect."

* * *

"Where is she?"

"Excuse me little missy, where do you think you're going so fast? You don't say anything to your old grandpa?"

Madison giggled loudly before holding her arms out and reaching to him with grabby hands, "Hi Poppy!" she smacked a kiss to his cheek and squeezed his neck tightly.

"That's better, Now how are you today?"

"Good" she peeked around to see if she could see any new faces passing by, but only saw Catherine walking towards them.

"Hi Grammy" Madison leaned out of Jerry's arms to scramble into her grandmother's with hopes of being closer to the living room. All she knew is that there was a baby in there and it was her cousin and although she didn't really know what a cousin was, she knew she could hold the baby and play with her.

"Hi sweetie, did you have a good day at school?"

"Yes, I did. Is my cousin here?"

"She definitely is.."

"Come here Mads." Fitz grabbed her from his mother before she could take her into the living room where he could hear his sister's family, and grabbed Olivia's hand before walking down the hall.

When Fitz entered the living room, Sarah had stood up to walk towards them and Jeff was kneeling down next to eight month old Addy.

"Hey lil sis"

Fitz smiled brightly at his sister and pulled her in for a tight hug and she squeezed him back, being mindful of the curly headed girl sitting on his hip with her face buried in his neck. When she stepped out of his embrace, Sarah brought a hand up and gently touched long curl of hair that had fallen out of Madison's headband.

"I can already tell the pictures do her no justice. My goodness, she's gorgeous"

Knowing she was being talked about, Madison brought her head down, and peeked up at the brunette woman before looking to Olivia and holding her arms out to her. "Mommy" she pouted, her excitement failing as her nerves took over.

"Oh goodness! We couldn't get her to shut up about coming to meet you guys and now she's playing shy." Olivia spoke ignoring Madison's plea and moving towards Sarah.

"Hi Liv, nice to finally meet you" She pulled her into a hug and the two pulled back after a second before looking at one another. "It's nice to have someone else in the family that I don't have to look up to" Sarah laughed, referring to being about the same height as Olivia.

"I know what you mean." Olivia responded.

"This is Jeff" she looked to her husband and waited for him to stand up and come over. He opened his arms out to Olivia and she gave him a quick hug before she was distracted by the loud cries coming from the carpeted floor. She looked down and saw Addy using her dad's jean clad leg to pull up into a standing position.

"Wow, she's a strong little one. She's just eight months?"

"Yea, she'll be nine months on the first, and don't let that fool you; she only learned that since we got here thanks to Dad. It's gonna be a nightmare when we get home and she's pulling up on everything." Sarah said bending down and scooping the little girl up in her arms.

"Mads look" Fitz said encouraging Madison to fully bring her head out of its hiding spot. She had turned to peer at the baby as soon as she heard her cry, but she was still feeling a bit shy.

Shaking her head, Olivia grabbed a hold of Madison from Fitz's arms, ignoring the resistance she felt from her husband. "Maddie, can you say hi to your Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Jeff and cousin Addy?"

She waved her little hand at them, still wounded tightly around Olivia's frame as though she was going to disappear. Madison stared at the baby as she looked at them with wide blue eyes matching her mother's. She stared at Madison for a few minutes before letting out a loud coo and grin, causing Madison to smile back at her.

"Mommy, she likes me." She turned to Olivia before looking back at Sarah. "Are you her mommy?"

"Yes I am. She's my little girl. Did you know that your daddy is my brother? Since he's my brother that means that I'm your aunt and this is your uncle, and Addy is your little cousin."

Madison nodded her head completely understanding since her parents had explained that to her on the way over.

"Was she a tiny baby in your stomach?"

"Yep, she was very itty bitty, just like you were in your mommy's stomach."

"My mommy has a baby in her tummy! She's my sister!"

Both Fitz and Olivia's eyes closed as soon as the words left the little girl's mouth. The talk they'd had with her about not telling anyone the secret of the baby had gone to waste. They showed Madison the cards they had made and explained to her how they would give her aunt, uncle and Poppy the cards and then tell them about the baby but with the way the conversation had gone between Madison and Sarah, they should've intervened sooner.

"You're pregnant?" Sarah asked shocked, staring at Olivia.

"Is it true?" Jerry asked coming to stand next to Fitz.

Olivia sighed and reached into her purse that was still draped over her shoulder and pulled out two envelopes, handing one to Sarah and the other to her father in law. As soon as the rectangular cards were out of the envelopes, cheers were heard as the news set in and Olivia was pulled into a hug by Sarah, and then pulled into one by Jerry that ended with a kiss against her head.

"Congratulations, son" Jerry said pulling Fitz into a hug.

"Wait a second, Mom why aren't you freaking out right now? Did you know?"

Catherine looked at her daughter and husband guiltily before shrugging, "Guilty"

"Olivia, Fitzgerald, how could you keep this from me?" Jerry bellowed only half serious.

"Now Jerry calm down, I figured it out of my own before they even had it confirmed by the doctor. I just knew." She winked at Olivia and smiled at her son before pulling him into a tight hug.

It was just an hour later that Madison sat on the counter after dinner wearing a large apron and holding an ice cream scooper.

"So I'm gonna hold the bowl and you scoop up the dough and when you get it, you gotta press the handle and it will come out." Sarah explained to the little girl.

Since dinner they had been glued to the hip with Madison insisting on her Aunt Sarah doing everything for her, and everything with her from sitting next to her at dinner, to helping her make chocolate chip cookies for dinner rather than Fitz.

"Ok, got it!" Madison assured her before doing exactly what she said and smiling when the dough plopped onto the wax paper covered cookie sheet.

She scooped out several more chunks before Sarah tossed the bowl in the sink and started the hot water to let it soak.

"Alright, let's pop them in the oven! Ready Freddy?"

"Ready!" she said excited as her aunt eased the large oven mitt over her small hand before placing hers inside as well and together they put the cookie sheet in before shutting the oven.

"Are you guys gonna stay here for a few more days?" She asked when Sarah lifted her up and held her.

"Yep, for four more days! One night maybe you can stay over and we can have a sleepover together."

"Can baby Addy come too?" she asked with wide eyes. She had taken to specifically calling her little cousin "baby" Addy, constantly pointing out that she was the bigger cousin.

"She can come but she will be sleeping cause she's so little."

"And I'm bigger"

"You are bigger"

Sarah was having the best time with Madison and adored her dearly. It had been time for dessert when Madison asked if she could bake cookies with her instead of Fitz and although her brother feigned jealous, she knew it warmed Fitz's heart to see his little girl warm up to his little sister. Meanwhile in the living room, Fitz and Olivia were smitten over Addy who was cuddly and ate up their attention. She was all over Fitz once she got over her initial shyness. She'd refused to go to Olivia or Fitz throughout the night, but once her parents disappeared- Sarah to bake with Madison, and Jeff to shower- the little girl calmed down and allowed them to cater to her.

"She's such a chunk, I love it" Olivia gushed gently squeezing her doughy thighs.

"Grants are big babies. I think Sarah was like nine full pounds and I nearly pushed ten pounds."

"Is THAT what I have to look forward to? A huge baby boy that's gonna give his mama back pains and stretch marks?"

"A small price to pay, Livvie."

Her mouth fell open in shock and grabbed the stuffed animal next to her and threw it at him, hitting him square in the nose.

"Jerk. You see your Uncle Fitz, he's a big jerk face." Olivia said moving the baby's arms around.

"I'm just kidding Livvie, you'll be fine."

"I probably won't. I was lucky with Madison being so small but I still rubbed cocoa butter on my stomach every night before bed and sometimes in the morning as well. I'm not vain and could care less about my body as long as this baby is completely healthy, but I also didn't want to get tons of stretch marks either. With this Grant baby, I fear I won't be so lucky this time around."

"Well starting tonight, we will begin the belly rub ritual just as a precaution."

Olivia smiled at Fitz before standing the little girl up from her lap and letting each hand wrap around her index fingers while she faced Fitz.

"Who is that Addy? Huh? Is that silly Uncle Fitz? Is he gonna get you?" she asked against the baby's ear as Fitz crawled slowly towards them before tickling her stomach with her fingertips, causing the baby to bounce and laugh hysterically.

"You two would rile her up before bedtime." Sarah said coming into the living room with Madison perched on her hip.

"The cookies are cooking and I have the timer" Madison announced holding up the small white kitchen timer in her hand.

"Sure do. They need about twelve more minutes. Alright, I'm gonna go feed Addy and let her daddy put her down, then i'll be back down, okay?"

Madison nodded her head, accepting when Sarah deposited her on the floor, and gave her baby cousin a kiss on the cheek before her Aunt scooped her up and walked away with her. Madison wasted no time moving into Olivia's lap and resting her hands on her stomach.

"Hi sister, I baked cookies with Aunt Sarah but she had to go feed Addy now and then we're going to eat them. Addy is a baby like you, but she's not in Aunt Sarah's stomach anymore, she came-d out already."

Olivia looked up at Fitz and caught his eyes filled with excitement watching Madison talk to her stomach. They didn't expect her to be so receptive so fast to the point where she actually talked to Olivia's stomach when she was barely even showing. Olivia couldn't imagine how excited Madison would be once she had officially popped and the baby started to move around.

"Baby as soon as you eat your cookie with Aunt Sarah, we're gonna head home, okay? It's almost past your bedtime."

"I was just about to mention that." Catherine started as she walked into the room after hearing the end of their conversation. "Do you want to give her a quick bath and get her in pj's so she can get right into bed once you're home?"

"That would be great, does she have some extra's here?" Fitz asked. "I can do it, Livvie."

"Does she? Son, you wouldn't believe the amount of clothes she actually has over here. What kind of grandmother do you think I am?" she asked shaking her head at him. "You stay there, I'll give this little one a bath, come on sweet girl."

"A quick one, mom." Fitz warned only getting a hand waved in dismissal from his mother then walked away with Madison skipping ahead of her to the stairs.

Fitz groaned and turned to look at Olivia who was shaking her. "I say we leave her here and take advantage of the empty house while we can."

"If she didn't have school tomorrow, I'd sneak right out of this house with you." Olivia laughed before glancing at the timer that Madison left behind and going to check on the cookies.

* * *

When Madison was tucked into bed that night, Olivia and Fitz did exactly what they promised and made love that night. Fitz made sure to pay extra attention to her sensitive breast that brought her to ecstasy before he'd ever touched her most intimate parts. Olivia basked in the feel of his skilled fingers and lips working her over, sending her toes curling, back arching, and body quivering as he moved above her. The moment they were in the privacy of their bedroom, Olivia noticed how her body had responded to his ventures in a completely different way than it had before. She felt as though her body had been on pause until his hands were on her body, instantly waking it up, and she never felt more alive than she did in that moment.

When Olivia was fully satiated, her husband's body sprawled out on top of hers, she rubbed her hand up his sweaty back and felt his lips against the slick skin of her neck before moving off of her.

"Before long I won't be able to do that at all." His voice was quiet as he brought his hand to her stomach and caressed the tightening skin, palming where their unborn child was. "I know that some women go through so many changes with their body when they're pregnant and they don't feel desirable, or sexy but Livvie I don't want you to ever feel that. Please keep being open with me mind body and soul, because there's no change your body could make that I wouldn't fall completely in love with."

"Are you trying to sweet talk me, Grant?"

"Maybe. But I want you to know that four months from now, as long as you're up for it, I'm going to take you every which way I can and when I make you cum, I expect you to lay just as you are now, open and freely so I can see you."

The baritone voice filling their room made Olivia squirm with desire and open her legs unconsciously and before she realized what was happening Fitz's hand was guiding her hand down to her moist center.

"Oh god" Olivia moaned blindly taking her free hand to find his head and pulling him towards her, swallowing his lips in hers.

She was definitely for round two.

* * *

Fitz drove slowly on the half grass, half gravel road as Olivia looked around searching for the indicator that they were in the right spot. Her window was down and while her right arm propped her head up as she stared outside, her other hand was clutched tightly to her husband's. She was nervous and wasn't sure if doing this today was the best decision, but something in her gut told her it was time. She hadn't thought of coming here in so long, and realized that Fitz had never heard her speak of the times she had come.

Olivia snapped out of her thoughts when the car stopped and she noticed the engine was no longer running. She looked to him with confused eyes, wondering how he knew to stop but shook the thought from her head realizing that it didn't matter.

"Should I give you some time or can I be there with you?" Fitz's voice was calm and quiet, mirroring the atmosphere of their surroundings.

"Be there with me, please." was her meek response.

Fitz removed his seatbelt before doing the same to hers and getting out of the car and moving to her side and opening the door. He reached out his hand and waited for her to grab a hold of his hand and step out of his SUV before his arm went around her waist and pulled her snug into his side. He could feel her body slowly heave as she took deep breaths to calm herself as much as possible and all he felt he could do was continue holding her around the waist with his fingertips constantly rubbing the curve of her stomach. They walked a few more feet before they turned to their right and were face to face with her parent's headstones.

"_Pope"_ was listed on the top of the marble slab and below were there names and dates of birth followed by the inscription, _Forever Loved and In Our Hearts._

"Say what you need to, Livvie." His voice was soothing and gave her the encouragement she needed.

"Hey Mom, Dad. I know I haven't been here in a long time and I'm sorry about that. Things were just crazy for a while and I honestly wasn't sure how to face you guys or just come and talk to you without feeling like I've been a disappointment to you. So much has changed in the past year and I know that you're not here.. I know that this isn't where you are but it feels easier to talk to you this way."

She took a deep breath before gripping Fitz's hand tightly in hers before bringing it up to kiss his knuckles.

"Madison is doing great and growing so much. You guys would just love her, I swear" she chuckled, holding back tears. "Jake is gone for good now and I have someone." She looked up at Fitz with a watery smile. "His name is Fitzgerald and we got married a few months ago. He's ev…everything to me." She chocked on her words and leaned her forehead against his chest for a moment before looking back at the headstones. "He loves Madison with all…." A sob escapes her before she stop it, but she pushed through because she wanted to tell them everything that was on her heart. "He loves her with all his heart and she loves her daddy so much. Mom, it's almost sickening sometimes" Olivia chuckled when Fitz squeezed her hip playfully. "The second I let him in, Madison followed suit and I'm sure you've seen them together and can't help but smile at the two of them. Fitz has an amazing family and his parents dote on her so much that she doesn't want for anything." She waited a few seconds feeling the emotions resurfacing. "She has them and I love them so much, but I still wish you were both here. She'd love her grandma and grandpa so much."

Fitz lifted her face between his hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks before leaning down and placing a chaste kiss on her trembling lips. "It's okay, Livvie."

She nodded her head before taking his hand and placing it on her stomach.

"We need to get back to Mads soon, but I wanted to tell you one more thing. We found out a few weeks ago that I'm pregnant. And mom, dad, I'm so, so happy! We're both over the moon, and dad, we talked about it.." she glanced at Fitz silently asking if she should continue, and when he nodded, she tightened her hold on his hand and pressed it further against her stomach. "I'm not that far along yet, but we really think it's a boy and if it is, we want to name him Fitzgerald Elijah Grant, after you and Fitz, dad." The tears came hard remembering the conversation her and Fitz had the night before while talking about possible boy names. They both really felt it was a boy and Fitz suggested that they name him after her father, but Olivia wanted to also have a piece of Fitz in there as well.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm very happy and that me and Madison are gonna be okay because of Fitz. He saved us." Pressing a kiss to her lips, Olivia touched the stone before turning around and crushing herself into Fitz's open arms.

"I got you, Livvie. I got you."

It took a few minutes for Olivia to calm down in his arms and when she was done he pulled back and looked her over before grabbing a hold of her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Let's go home"

* * *

**THAT FINALE THO! OH MY OLITZ HEART! Hope you enjoyed that episode!**


	18. Chapter 17

**And I will stay up through the night  
And let's be clear, won't close my eyes  
And I know that I can survive  
I'll walk through fire to save my life**

**You did not break me**  
**(You did not break me, no)**  
**I'm still fighting for peace**

**Well, I've got thick skin and an elastic heart,**  
**But your blade - it might be too sharp**  
**I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard,**  
**Yeah, I may snap and I move fast**  
**But you won't see me fall apart**  
**'Cause I've got an elastic heart**

**-Elastic Heart- Sia**

**AN: HAPPY BIRTHDAY FALLING SLOWLY. I posted my first chapter of this story last year- yesterday, May 30! **** Thanks for being on this journey with me. Thank you to Mo for SO much help making this chapter what it is. Hope you guys enjoy it. Onto the next chapter.**

* * *

"_Hey where did he go?"_

"_What do you mean? He's right there in the drawer where we keep him."_

_Olivia moved to the drawer and smiled seeing her baby boy and lifted him up, planting small kisses on his tiny face._

"_Mommy loves you, sweet boy."_

"_But what about me, mommy"_

_Olivia looked up and saw Madison headed towards her with a small pink hat in her hands. _

"_Hi sweetie, I love you too very much just like your brother."_

"_But I don't want a brother, I want a sister. If I can't have a sister, I'm going to find a new mommy."_

"_What? Mads, you can't just leave"_

"_Yes I can. See ya."_

_Olivia's eyes widened seeing her little girl move her arms and up and down before her feet moved from the ground and she began to fly away. Olivia felt tears rush to her eyes but was interrupted when Scooter approached her with his mouth wide open and his tongue hanging out._

"_Did Madison leave?"_

_Olivia nodded her head, unsure if her dog was actually talking to her or not. _

"_Because of the baby?"_

_Again she nodded. _

"_I'll take care of that." Scooter moved closer to Olivia and before she could even blink, he leaned forward and ate the baby out of her arms. _

_Looking around, Olivia felt the tears well up in her eyes and before she could make a sound, tiny almost nonexistent claps could be heard behind her and when she turned around she was stunned to see Wally, who was no longer the size of a turtle, walking in the kitchen wearing a grin._

"_Told ya a baby was a bad idea, Liv."_

Olivia sat up quickly in bed, breathing heavily and looked around the dark room to take in her surroundings. Fitz as asleep to her left bundled up in a sweatshirt with the hood on his head and the blanket covering him along with the throw blanket they kept on their bed. Olivia had taken to only being able to sleep in their room if it was an icebox and her poor husband hadn't complained once. There were two occasions when she'd awakened to find herself alone in the bed and her husband sharing the full size bed in their daughter's room which was warmer and filled with the heat that blew through the house. They were two weeks away from flipping their calendars to the month of February, and their North Carolina winter wasn't quiet over. While the heat flowed through the house, the fan in their bedroom was on high, and the small portable air conditioner sat on her nightstand blowing directly on the couple every night.

Olivia brought her hand to her stomach feeling the swift kicks from the little man residing inside. Moving the thin sheet from her legs, she pushed her feet into her house shoes, and left out of her bedroom before closing the door behind her quietly. When she made it to Madison's bedroom door, she opened it just a crack where Scooter was obediently waiting for her like he'd been doing for the past two weeks that this had become her routine in the middle of the night. Once he darted past her, Olivia moved into the room and over to the bed where her little girl was fast asleep. She couldn't count the number of times she'd awaken from a dream and rush to the little girl's room to make sure she was safe and unharmed. She knew she was fine and her worry was for nothing, but subconsciously she couldn't help herself. After breathing her in for a minute, Olivia walked out and closed the door just as quietly before moving through the living room and into the kitchen.

For the most part her cravings hadn't been that weird, it was either all beef hotdogs or no meat at all. She didn't understand why the thought of meat made her completely sick, but it did with the exception of all beef hotdogs. Sherbet ice cream- only raspberry, green peas that she loved to eat straight from the can, and lastly a few salty things like green olives and cheese together. It was her go to snack every night and her husband was kind enough to keep their pantry stocked with jars and every other day he found himself buying a block of extra sharp cheddar cheese for his wife to cut up however her heart desired. He had made the mistake of buying her cubed cheese and even string cheese but she brushed off the food and dished it out to Madison one day for lunch before making it clear that she wanted the full block so she was able to do with it what she pleased. Only her mood would determine the way she wanted to eat the cheese, and at this three-thirty am hour, she used a spoon to get out hefty amount of green olives before grabbing the cheese grater and scraping off an amount just as hefty. Leaving the grater next to the cutting board on the island, Olivia grabbed a bottle of ice cold water- the only kind she tolerated during her pregnancy- and grabbed the two bowls.

"Come on boy" She spoke in a whisper to Scooter and he walked behind her and lay patiently at her feet knowing that he would be able to get at least one olive if he was patient enough. His masters rarely gave him people food anyway, but whenever he'd come out with Olivia during this time, there was always an olive that slipped and he was happy to lap it up.

She rested the bowl of Olives on her stomach and reached for the remote and turned the tv on. Her stomach had grown in the past five weeks and it was more than obvious she was pregnant. Olivia immediately clicked on Apple Tv and went to start her next episode of _Army Wives_ and got comfortable as the familiar voices of the characters filled her ears. She was fifteen minutes into the episode, and happily scooping shredded cheese in her mouth when Scooter sat up, ears perking up as well and Olivia heard footsteps down the hall and turned to see Fitz walking towards her, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He plopped down on the couch next to her, reveling in the warmth of the living room. He didn't understand how she could be comfortable in the heated living room but demand their bedroom be an icebox in order for her to go to sleep.

"Dreams again?" he finally asked, stealing an olive and popping it in his mouth before kissing her mouth.

She scrunched her face up at him taking her food and made sure he realized she was displeased. He knew she did NOT share her snacks.

"Yea. I think now I just have them to wake me up so he can eat because they're completely absurd."

"Which was one it tonight?"

"Mads was upset it was a boy and went to find a new mommy and Scoots ate the baby."

"No Wally?" he asked knowing that dream usually had the turtle walking around as if he owned the place.

"No, his ass was there too. I swear he's the worst part of the dream." She did everything in her power to hide the fear her dreams actually did hold. She already felt guilty for allowing the negative thoughts to take over her mind enough to give her nightmares, she didn't want to share with him the visions that plagued her during her rest and became a reality when she was awake.

Fitz moved closer to Olivia while mumbling something and laid his head under her left arm, his face up against her breast while his left hand rested against her stomach feeling their little boy kick. As tired as Fitz was, he usually always joined Olivia when she had her after hours snack for two reasons. The first reason was that he didn't want her to get lonely and he would immediately feel that she had left their room and couldn't get back to sleep. The second reason was that the first time he'd been able to feel the baby actually kicking was three weeks ago when she'd gotten up in the middle of the night and he followed her. The baby had kicked as he laid against her side and at first he thought it was his imagination, but the small nudges he had felt against his hand were indeed little kicks from their little boy. Since then he'd make it out there most nights, and would end up falling asleep against her while she watched tv.

"He's kicking a lot tonight, Livvie. What's up little man, you having fun in there? You enjoying those olives mommy keeps eating, aren't ya?" Fitz moved his hands against her stomach searching for a foot to push back at him. She'd showed him a few weeks ago the best way to actually "find" the baby and how to get him to kick and move around. He had been extra nervous at first to push on her stomach but she'd assured him it was absolutely fine and once he saw the reactions he would get from their little one, he'd become extremely comfortable with it. This was also the time he was most active and Fitz hated to miss out on these moments.

"Babe?" Olivia asked quietly, moving her hand under the hood of his sweatshirt and scratching his scalp.

"Hm" was his sleepy response, not wanting to be awakened.

"Can you get me a hot dog, please?"

"Livvie" he whined wanting so badly for her to change her mind and get up herself.

"Please. He's so hungry. Can't you feel him moving all around? He's waiting for more food."

She always used the baby against him and as an excuse for everything now. If she were honest with herself she'd admit that she was semi annoyed that he'd come out there. She loved her husband, she did, but her time in the wee hours of the morning were for her to relax and have some tv time alone. Scooter was welcomed but she could admit that her husband at times clung to her in a hovering way and it was only a tiny bit endearing. She needed to escape her dreams, and getting lost in tv shows was the perfect escape, but she wanted to do it alone.

Olivia knew he was probably drained from the busy week he'd had at work. Things had finally settled down after the big opening in December and just under six weeks in, schedules were set in stone and their roster of patients was officially closed off unless it was a referral from certain doctors. They had been so busy getting everyone in after the new year that Fitz's normal Monday, Wednesday, Friday late mornings- late being going in at ten instead of eight- hadn't happened once and today was the first one he'd actually be able to savor. He had plans of helping out with Madison in the morning to make sure his Livvie was rested and could take it easy. She grew tired more easily as her pregnancy progressed and he knew she would rather sleep in than wake up extra early to get herself and their little girl ready for the day.

* * *

That next morning when Olivia woke up in bed, she had to admit she was grateful that her husband had carried her back to bed once she'd dozed off. The first time she had stayed asleep on the couch all night, she'd woken up with such horrific back pain and he made sure it hadn't happened since. She got up to get herself ready for work and before she went in the bathroom to relieve her bladder, she heard Fitz's alarm go off.

It was minutes later that she came out of the bathroom with her teeth brushed, make-up done and hair fixed to see the bed vacant. Pulling out her clothes for the day, she laid the black wide legged trousers on the bed and paired it with a maroon button up shirt that she had gotten just that past weekend. Grabbing her heels, she tossed them at the foot of the bed and left the room to go wake up Madison. She had just gotten to the door when she heard the giggling from inside followed by her husband's deep voice.

"Alright, are you wearing long sleeve snowflake shirt, or long sleeve bunny shirt?"

"Hmmmmm" Madison said out loud while pulling up her dark skinny jeans and doing the zipper. "Snowflake shirt! Daddy can you do the button?"

He removed the shirt she'd requested from the small hanger and kneeled down to button her pants before slipping the shirt over her head.

"Thanks! Can I wear my arm warmers? The black ones!"

"You can put them on before we leave the house for school. Alright, let's get your socks and then fix your hair."

"I can finish" Olivia moved to step into the room but Fitz held a hand up letting her know he had it.

He rummaged through the drawer of socks before pulling out a pair and securing them on her feet. Fitz reached his hands under Madison's arms and stood her up on the bed before he started taking her braids out before securing the loose waves with a headband and a large turquoise bow on the side of her head.

Fitz pushed a kiss to the top of her head before he scooped her up in his arms and started towards the door, where Olivia was still standing guard.

"Good morning beautiful." He greeted her warmly, expecting a kiss but receiving a forced smile.

"Morning. Hi Toots." She reached for Madison and was happy when the little girl went willingly into her mother's arms. She didn't want to forcefully take her from his arms, but if it came to that, then so be it. She just needed to hold her in her arms.

"Morning Mommy." She kissed Olivia's lips and smirked knowing she was now wearing a bit of the lip color her mother had on her lips.

"Oh you sneaky snake!" she began before she was interrupted by Fitz.

"Liv?" Fitz looked confused at her completely ignoring him.

"Good morning Fitz." She said plainly before focusing her attention back on Madison. "You little lipstick thief, you need some more?" she asked and when Madison nodded, she kissed her lips again before pulling back. "What about now?"

"More" she laughed loudly.

*Kiss*

"Now?"

"More, more!"

"Well alright, don't be so bossy!" she leaned forward and kissed her lips several times before pulling back and sighing once they reached the kitchen. "There, now you have ALL my lipstick on your lips."

Madison smiled and wiggled from her mother's arms and went to pull out her lunchbox from the bottom cabinet and sat it on the island. She went to open the fridge when she shrieked at the feel of hands at her sides tickling her and lifting her feet from the ground. Madison laughed loudly, stuck in the air against her father's shoulders while he opened the fridge.

"What are we gonna pack you for lunch little missy?"

"I dunno" she cackled, holding onto his forearm.

"Fitz, please put her down." She stood there watching him once again interrupt their morning routine and she was trying to be okay with it, but she couldn't.

"Liv, relax I can make her lunch. Do you want some breakfast? Did you take your vitamins?"

"Fitz, please let us finish our routine. I know you want to help, but I really don't need it right now."

Trying his best to not let her words affect him, he stood Madison back on her two feet and moved to make himself a cup of coffee. While the Keurig was warming up, Fitz stood back and watched as they nearly moved in sync preparing not only breakfast but packing Madison's lunch. While Olivia prepared toast and eggs for Madison, his little girl got out her ice pack, juice box, cheese stick and fruit snack and sat them inside of the lunch box before grabbing her stool and going to the pantry door. Stepping up she grabbed the Soy Butter and a sandwich bag before moving back to the island. Her feet them carried her to the counter and she grabbed the loaf of bread and brought it over before finally grabbing the squeezable jelly from the fridge and setting it out.

"Mommy it's ready" she smiled proudly.

"Thanks Toots, don't forget to grab your yogurt too."

"Oh yea." She scurried back to the fridge before opening the bottom drawer and grabbing a gogurt out and tossed it in her lunch box.

"Alright, come eat your breakfast."

Olivia sat the plate of eggs and toast down for Madison before coming back with a small cup of milk and then went to make her sandwich before securing it in the small baggy and rearranging a few things before snapping the lunchbox to Madison's backpack. Olivia stood watching Madison for a few seconds before she felt his gaze on her. She had gotten so used to being the only one to take care of Madison during the week that she needed to have that control. She felt like _she_ was the parent alone, and it brought back memories she thought she had gotten rid of when Jake died. Olivia tried her hardest to fight the fears she had of waiting for the other shoe to drop but inwardly that fear feasted on her. He wasn't like Jake at all but she knew, she just knew something was going to go wrong. He would leave. They _always_ leave. That's exactly what Jake told her would happen.

"If you're gonna stay out here with her, I'll go and get dressed."

"What would you normally do?" Fitz questioned. He was in awe at the system they had knowing he had never witnessed it before but he'd also felt extremely disconnected and while his daughter was acceptable of his presence, his wife clearly wasn't.

"Usually when it's just us, I bring my clothes out to the living room and get dressed there or I get dress while Madison puts her _own_ clothes on." She couldn't stop herself from adding that. Her daughter had been dressing herself for school for the past week and had been dammed proud of it.

He nodded his head realizing how much he was really out of the loop with his girls before replying to her. "I'll keep an eye on her."

"Thanks. Eat up baby, we're gonna leave soon. When you're done, go brush your teeth please."

"Will you do the toothpaste?"

"Yea, I'll do it now." Olivia replied. She would make sure she was the one to squeeze the toothpaste on her toothbrush so the little girl wouldn't have the purple sticking paste all over the bathroom counter like before. That was something they were still working on.

* * *

The day went on as it normally would with Fitz seeing different patients, some sick from traveling all over for the holidays and some just in for their yearly check up. He had to admit to himself that being home that morning was a wake-up call. He had never felt that out of place in his own home, let alone with Olivia and Madison in general. He didn't want to wallow in self-pity and admit to himself that he and Olivia were actually on the verge of their first real issue as a married couple, but he knew he also couldn't hide from the problem. He let the thoughts leave his mind as his boss knocked on his office door.

"Hey Fitz, you busy?"

"Hey Jason, not at all, come in. What's up?"

"Nothing man just letting everyone know we're having dinner and drinks tomorrow night on me of course to celebrate the opening and having everything settled down and going smoothly our first official month. It was just the guys but we all caved and agreed that without the missus being in our corner these past few months with the opening, none of this would be possible. So bring Liv, Carol is coming and John is confident they'll find a sitter and Veronica will be joining us as well."

"What about Mark?" Fitz snickered.

"Oh he assured me whoever he's with tomorrow night will grace our presence as well. So you in?"

"Definitely! It'll be a good time."

He stood up and shook his hand before Jason walked out and closed the door behind him. Fitz was about to pick up his phone to call his mom about watching Madison when it began to vibrate in his hand. He looked down and immediately noticed it was the number from Olivia's school and answered.

* * *

Fitz barely had the car in park before he was out and tearing through the house in search of his wife.

"OLIVIA?" he called her name, first checking the living room, then moving down the hall and into their bedroom. "Livvie?" He didn't yell as loudly knowing that she would be able to hear him if she was indeed in their bedroom.

"_**Olivia, just fucking … talk to me for a second"**_

Olivia stood outside of their bedroom frozen. She shook her head trying to escape from the voice that she heard. The voice that was consistently growing louder in her mind. She thought these days were over. She thought she was free of him. She thought that once he died, this would all come to an end. But here he was, yelling in her mind just as loud as he always had.

Taking a deep breath, she continued to walk into the room. "Can you stop yelling?"

Fitz turned towards their bedroom door and watched her walk into the room carrying what looked like a laundry basket full of underclothes.

"What are you doing? Why didn't you wait for me to pick you up from school?"

"Louis overreacted. I was more than capable to driving myself home. And I knew you'd be stuck in traffic and you were"

"Olivia, you passed out at work, you can't just assume you're fine to drive yourself home!"

"_**None of this would've happened if you…"**_

"I did not pass out I got a little lightheaded because I hadn't eaten this morning so back off Fitz. You are overreacting."

"Back off?! Do you hear yourself Olivia? The last time I got a phone call and ran out of work you were spotting and scared shitless so forgive me if I'm overreacting. You still haven't listened to anything I've said to you these past few weeks."

"_**No! Everything isn't about YOU"**_

"Because you're acting like my doctor and not my husband. I have a doctor that now makes me come in once a week for visits, I don't need another doctor at home on my ass. What I need is my husband."

"Okay, well this is _your_ husband speaking; I want you to stop working after spring break."

"_**You're not leaving this house Olivia"**_

Her face fell and she felt hear rush to her cheeks. "You want me to QUIT? Fitz I'm fine to work until summer break."

"You're obviously not Olivia. You're pushing yourself and not taking good enough care of the baby and if you were we wouldn't be having this conversation."

They both knew his words would bring tears to her eyes and before she could even try to stop them, they were spilling down her cheeks. Her hand went protectively over her stomach and she moved to the bed and pulled back the covers.

"I want to rest. I want you to leave the room so I can rest please. Let me take care of the baby and rest for him."

"Livvie, you know I didn't.." he tried, using only his name for her, but she cut him off.

"I can only rest with you gone. I'm not in the mood to talk right now Fitz, I don't have the energy."

"Let me know if you need anything. I'm staying here."

She didn't think it was necessary but refused to respond to him because he'd hurt her feelings. Him saying she wasn't taking care of their baby cut her deep and she wasn't sure how she could look at him without clearing her mind and having some time away from him.

* * *

_Her contractions were coming fast, and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold off going to the hospital any longer.  
"Fitz, it's time. We need to head to the hospital."_

"_Alright, let's go. Let me grab your bag and his bag."_

"_He doesn't have a separate bag, babe. He has a few things in my bag and that should be enough. As long as everything goes okay, they're going to release us the next night, so I packed enough for that."_

"_I'm gonna bring this just in case."_

_She took deep breaths and walked slowly after him not giving the bag a second thought. Walking towards the garage, she noticed Fitz putting Madison in the car and grabbed her purse before following them out. When they arrived at the hospital, she was taken back to a room and checked by her doctor._

_"Liv you're dilating great, but your blood pressure is concerning me. If you don't calm down and relax, your baby could become distressed and we'll have to prep for an emergency c-section."_

"_I'm trying, I promise I am. I don't want a c-section if I don't have to have one. Just please tell me what to do." She cried._

"_Olivia, you need to calm down." She glanced at the fetal monitor and saw the oxygen levels drop and turned to Olivia. "His oxygen levels are dropping. We need to prep you for surgery, Olivia."_

"_What? No, I'm relaxing. You didn't even give me a chance. Please don't!"_

"_There's no time. You should've taken it easy. You brought this upon yourself and now there's no time left, we need to get him out."_

_Olivia is barely able to comprehend what's going on around her, but the second she hears her baby's cries, her heart warms up and she turns to see Fitz's reaction to hearing their son. His face is rigid, and he's no longer standing next to her or holding her hand. She turns to the other side of the room and see's the doctor signing papers, and when she turns to ask Fitz what's going on, she sees him holding their son close to his chest._

"_Fitz, he's so big. Let me see him." _

"_Olivia, I don't think that's a good idea. We're gonna go now."_

"_What… what do you mean? Let me see my baby. Where are you taking him?"_

"_Away from you!" he sneered, his face contorted in a way she'd never seen before. "You think I'm gonna let what happened to Madison, happen to him? You could never protect her, so I know you can't protect him either. Today he's fine, but before he's two how many fractured wrists do you think he'll have? As many as his sister?"_

_She was suddenly standing up, her arms wrapped around her middle, trying her best to not fall apart as she watched her family look at her with disdain. _

"_Fitz…. You can't do this. He's my son too.. I'm his mom, you can't just leave and take him. He is OUR child Fitz!" her cries were building up and she had to take deep breaths before she could continue. "And what about Madison, huh? Madison would miss him and she'll miss you. You're her daddy, you can't just walk out on her."_

"_Oh and be like him? That's never going to happen. Madison is coming with me. You can't protect her, Olivia. You never have been able to."_

"_I promise I'll try harder. I won't let him get hurt, that was all Jake's fault."_

"_Oh and you had no part in it? You couldn't protect her Olivia. You couldn't protect her. You can't protect her. You can't protect her!"_

_The words continued to echo in her head getting louder each time until she no longer heard Fitz's voice speaking, but Jake's voice loud and clear laughing and screaming that she wouldn't be able to protect either of her children._

* * *

"STOP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! STOP SAYING THAT!"

"Olivia! Wake up, baby wake up, please!"

Fitz shook her shoulders, forcing her to wake up. He could only imagine what she was dreaming of that caused her so much distress. When her eyes finally open, he sees nothing but fear and uncertainty in them and wishes that she would open up to him. She was sweaty and panting heavily, her eyes searching his frantically.

"Livvie, please talk to me baby. What were you dreaming about?"

She shook her head, unable to even speak the words and afraid to admit to him how out-of-control she really did feel. She knew pregnancy could make you have weird dreams, but the dreams she'd just had was more than that. It was as if her biggest fears were coming through in the dream and she had no control or say over anything. She hated that feeling. She felt like she did when she was with Jake. She loved Fitz so much and he had the power to completely ruin her life.

Seeing him sit next to her, begging for her to open up to him was something she welcomed. She could see the tears forming in his eyes and knew he was worried. He wasn't a monster like Jake and she knew that but it didn't stop her from understanding how he held the power to take her world away. She'd never given herself to Jake the way she'd given herself completely over to Fitz. She had been most vulnerable with him in every way. Seeing him now at her mercy, she sat up closer to him, wanting to feel in complete control. Pushing him back, Olivia moved onto her knees in front of him and moved her fingers to the buttons on his shirt.

"Livvie, stop." He spoke quietly.

"Stop what?" she asked feigning ignorance. Olivia knew that she was pushing Fitz to his limit. He was completely thrown by her lately, but she didn't need to pacify his worries right now. This was for her. Her face was flushed, and she couldn't get his shirt unbutton fast enough.

Seeing the look in her eyes, Fitz moved his hands and pushed hers away before removing the shirt from his body. A small voice in the back of his mind kept telling him that this wasn't the way to make things right between them. He knew it was his wife ignoring what was really bothering her, but it in no way seemed to overpower the electric charge that was suddenly in the air, or the invisible force pulling him to her. Whatever was happening, he couldn't deny it.

"Whatever it is that you're doing." He started when he felt her stand up and start to remove her own shirt.

"What exactly am I doing?"

"I don't know. You're…you're…" Fitz trailed off trying to find the right words. He was less than a foot away from her now. Something was building. Fitz could feel it. And what was really nerve-wracking was the fact that he couldn't stop it. A part of him didn't want to stop it. He already felt more alive in this one moment than he did for the past week.

Knowing exactly where she had him, Olivia walked backwards into the bathroom and turned on the shower before turning around to look at him where he stood at the door watching her every move. She knew there was no way he would back down and a couple of seconds later, Olivia's back collided with the counter behind her. Fitz then quickly took the opportunity to close the distance between them. His arms came around her and rested on the sink's countertop boxing her in.

"Stop wasting time" Olivia spoke huskily, as her body pressed into his. Olivia breathed in sharply at the contact. It felt like forever since she'd been this close to Fitz and his body instantly seemed to recognize and respond to the familiar touch. Olivia then felt a shiver run up her spine when he brought his mouth close to her ear.

"Do you really want this Liv? Is this what you want" he took her hand in his and brought it to his extremely erect member and she squeezed him as hard as she could.

"Don't flatter yourself," she muttered. "I'm not…" Olivia's words disappeared into a breathy moan when she felt him take her earlobe into his mouth and flick his tongue across it. Instinctively, her hand released him and came up to cling tightly to his shoulders.

All it took was one taste of her for Fitz to completely lose his control. Being this close to Olivia was always intoxicating, to say the very least. One arm wrapped around her waist as his other hand locked in her mass of curls, pulling the hair tie from her hair and releasing them. His mouth traveled down her neck—nipping and sucking on every patch of skin that was exposed to him.

"Fitz," Olivia whimpered. She could already feel herself melting against him as he sucked on an extra sensitive spot. _I shouldn't be doing this, he's still in control. _She kept repeating in her mind. Nothing had changed. She still felt completely inferior to him and he once again had control over her and she wanted it to stop. But her body wasn't listening. It was already on fire and bending to his will. Both of his hands were now on her waist as he pulled her hips roughly against his. She gasped when she felt how much harder he seemed to be. Unfortunately, it only made her own desire increase.

"Livvie," Fitz groaned as she started to arch into him. "I want you."

"I know," Olivia repeated distractedly. Before she knew it, he'd pulled her shirt up and over her head. Fitz grabbed her hips and lifted Olivia onto the hard surface behind her. His hands slid up her thighs to part them before pulling her legs around his waist. Afterward, he grabbed her ass to draw her more intimately against him.

By this time, Olivia's breathing was ragged as she felt all common sense fly out of her head. The feeling of his bare skin and arousal rubbing against her sent a charge through her entire body. She only seemed to get hotter as Fitz moved her bra strap aside and started to nip at her shoulder. Taking on a mind of its own, Olivia's hand wound through his hair to guide him along. He left hot, wet kisses across her collarbone. A couple of seconds later, her bra was unhooked—exposing her chest fully to him. Fitz wasted no time taking advantage. Olivia threw her head back as his mouth and tongue teased her cleavage.

"Fitz," Olivia gasped. His ministrations on her extra sensitive breasts and the hard grinding of their hips made her feel like she was going to explode at any second. And soon enough, she did. The intense pleasure suddenly ripped through her, causing her to tighten her legs around him and cry out. Fitz stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"I hate you," she whispered breathlessly after a few seconds with watery eyes. Fitz felt his heart constrict at the sight and at her words. He knew she didn't mean them, but felt she needed to say them and he needed to be okay with them for now. He could see the inner battle that she was having with herself—the uncertainty. There was passion and desire reflecting in her gaze, but also fear and vulnerability. She wanted him, but she didn't. She felt so out on control, more than she had ever felt.

Pushing him away forcefully from her, Olivia moved herself from the counter before peeling off the rest of her clothes before forcefully removing his pants and boxers. Looking at him angrily, she shoved his chest repeatedly until he was completely in the shower where the water was now starting to run cool. She moved in behind him and pushed him down onto the bench before straddling him, her opening completely devouring him without warning. She felt his fingers start to move up her body and stopped them, pushing them down on bench next to his thighs. Leaning forward, she put her forehead on his shoulder, relishing in the pleasure she was giving herself before turning her head and biting his neck while clenching and milking his dick. He moaned loudly, muttering her name pleadingly wanting her to bounce, grind, anything but what she was doing. He wouldn't last long with her in control this way and he certainly felt like she was paying him back for making her cum so soon. Her fingernails dug into his back, trying her best to transfer the pain she was feeling onto him.

She sucked at his neck harder before rising up until only his tip was in and clenched her inner walls fiercely.

"Shit Livvie!" his hands were on her sides, ready to force her to move the way he wanted, when her hands came undone from around his shoulders and grabbed a hold of his fingers before bending them back until he winced in pain. The pain from his fingers and her harsh teeth now biting his lips, Fitz thrusted his hips upward and came undone, spitting his seed into her sloppily, her walls milking him dry.

She breathed heavily slouched against him, bringing his arms around her back until he was holding her as tightly as he could with her stomach between them. Her walls came undone and the tears fell from her eyes before she could even think to stop them.

"Livvie" he cooed, his cheek against hers, whispering into her ear. "I love you baby and I'm here for you. Whatever it is, you need to let me in baby."

He knew that although he was now upset with her, he had to comfort her. He felt used and like he had just been completely punished for no reason and although his release was amazing, it didn't feel the way it should have.

Fitz waited as she pulled her face away from his and could see her about to speak to him. He could tell his words had gotten through to her somehow and he rubbed her back encouragingly and smiled when he all of a sudden felt movements from her stomach that was his pressed against his. Their boy was moving between them and the second he made eye contact with her, flooded with the same excitement he had every time their little boy kicked, Fitz knew the air had shifted in a negative way. She pulled away from him almost instantly, a hand protectively covering her stomach and she stood from his lap, wincing as she released him.

"I want to finish showering."

"Livvie, it's cold water. Let me dry you off and get you into some warm clothes." He tried.

"I said I want to finish showering." Her voice was cold and emotionless and all he could do was let her be.

* * *

"Fitz, can you come here?"

It was nearly fifteen minutes ago that he had walked out of the bathroom leaving Olivia to her own thoughts and tears. The water was cold, but it surprisingly felt good to her and she took her time swaying back and forth in the water, talking to her unborn baby that wouldn't stop moving. He could sense his mommy was upset and he knew his presence would warm her heart. Olivia waited a few minutes and when she received no response she wrapped the towel around her body, and moved out of the bathroom and went to her bedroom door. Looking down the hall, she stood quietly for a few seconds to see if she could hear her husband's voice, before she called out again.

"Fitz, can you come here?"

Letting out a groan, Olivia moved down the hall and looked into Madison's room, the office, and living room before realizing that her husband was nowhere to be found. She honestly didn't think that he would leave.

"What the hell" she muttered before walking back in her bedroom to pick up her cell phone. She dialed Fitz's number and he answered on the second ring.

"Hey"

"Where are you?"

"What do you mean, I'm going to mom and dad's."

"What?" she was completely confused.

"Liv, I told you while you were in the shower. Didn't you hear me? Dad needs some help with the she'd roof and he wants to get it done before we get more snow. I just told you this like fifteen minutes ago."

"I must have spaced out."

"It's ok, what's up? Did you need something? I'm almost at their house." He tried to make his voice come off soft, but he was annoyed with her actions of the day. She didn't want anything to do with him half hour ago.

"Yea I do but I'll just wait till you get home later."

"Are you sure? It could take a while."

"It's fine. I need to call the school and tell them to let Madison go to kids club. I'm gonna be late picking her up, but I'll go do that and we'll wait for you to get home."

"I already had mom pick her up. I packed her some clothes so she could spend the night with them."

Olivia paused, hearing the voices come back into her mind, meshing with everything her husband was saying.

"_**I'm her parent too and I don't have to give her to you at all…when I want to see my daughter Olivia, I will see her whether you agree or not."**_

"You what? Why would you do that without asking me first?" She was trying but this was too much. She wanted to pick up her daughter from school and not have someone making plans without consulting her.

"You were sent home early from school and needed to rest. I had already made plans to take her there tomorrow so we could go out so I just asked mom to get her from school. Is that not okay? I can bring her back with me if I need to."

Why was his wife acting this way because he'd made plans for their daughter? This was not the first time this had happened and he knew it wouldn't be the last. He had _every_ right to make plans for his daughter's well-being and wouldn't stop.

"No, I'll go get her myself."

"Livvie" he sighed pinching the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache he felt approaching. "I just got off the phone with mom and spoke to Mads. She's excited to stay the night. Can you please just let her stay?"

She was quiet for a moment, reading his thoughts and understanding how unreasonable she was being.

"I'll think about it but right now I just really want to see my daughter." She felt herself getting choked up.

"Do you want me to turn around and pick you up?" he sighed. He refused to fight with her about this. It was absurd.

"Fitz, I'm fine. I'm sure I can manage a twenty minute drive."

"It's gonna take much longer with the roads being the way they are."

"Fitz, please… just let it go for now? I want to get out of the house anyway."

"Alright, fine. Let me know when you're leaving, please."

"I will."

"Alright, drive safe, I'll see you soon." He waited a beat. "Love you."

"You too."

She hung up without another word and unwrapped the towel from her body before looking down at her left breast and sighing. She couldn't let her mind go there. For the first time in the past few weeks, she really wanted to have her husband there hounding her and being concerned about her well-being. She knew everything that was going on was her fault, but even if it was just for one minute, she wanted him back.

* * *

"Will daddy get hurt?"

"No hunny, he'll be fine."

"What if he falls?"

"He wont. Now are you gonna finish helping me with this pizza little lady?"

Madison had taken the step stool she was using to reach the kitchen island and moved it to the backdoor where she had a great view of her father and grandfather as they worked on the shed outback. She had nearly thrown a fit when her dad arrived, thinking he was there to pick her up early from her sleepover since she knew she had two more nights to stay at her grandparents. She had been so excited when her grandmother showed up to her school to pick her up, promising that she could spend two nights there before she had to go home.

"I'm gonna help." She jumped from the stool and pushed it back over to the island before the cup of flour to help start making the dough.

It was nearly thirty minutes later when Fitz and Jerry came to the door, stomping off the snow from their boots on the porch before walking inside and hanging their coats up.

"Daddy, are you freezing now?"

"I sure am baby girl. It is very cold out there." He moved towards her before pulling off his leather glove and placing it against her cheek.

"Brrrrr! It's too cold daddy!" she shrieked away from the glove and smiled up at him. "Are you going home now?" she asked with wide eyes. She didn't mind if her daddy stayed as long as she got to stay once he left.

"Not yet, mommy is on her way and should be here soon. We're gonna have some pizza with you guys. That's if you guys have enough, Mom." He looked at Catherine. He hadn't even thought to check and see if they had enough, but he knew his parents well enough to know they weren't low on many things in their refrigerator.

"There's plenty. We'll pull out more crust and get to work, won't we Maddie-Cakes?"

"Yep!" she nodded with a smile.

As Fitz moved passed them towards the living room, he side stepped and moved to the front door after seeing car lights from the driveway. He knew it was Olivia and went to open the door for her and make sure she got in okay.

"Hey" he walked towards her and held the door open for her, scaring her in the process.

"Agh! Dammit, Fitz you scared the crap out of me. Where's your coat? I could've walked inside on my own. I am capable of that much."

He grabbed her arm and stopped her from moving past him. "Hey don't be so snappy. I'm sorry I scared you. I saw the lights and just came out to make sure you got in okay."

She seemed to be okay with his answer and gave him a small smile when he opened the front door and gestured for her to go ahead of him.

"Did you ever eat and take your vitamins today?"

Now at that, she rolled her eyes.

"Fitz, not now." She wasn't in the mood to answer his third degree, especially when he had just seen her at home.

"I'm just asking you since I hadn't today."

"Yes father."

Fitz sighed heavily knowing that his wife didn't reply in a jokingly way, but she was honestly still annoyed with him. When Olivia's boots were off, she moved to take her coat off and almost rolled her eyes at him taking it from her hands and hanging it up. It was an action he always did, but for some reason it just annoyed her. She walked through the kitchen and smiled seeing Madison sprinkling cheese over the pizza as Catherine looked on.

"Hi mommy!" Madison's face lit up and she happily puckered her lips to her mother, wanting to give her an affectionate kiss, but not wanting to move from her cooking post. She hadn't seen her since that morning before school, and although she loved her grandma picking her up, she was pleased to see her mother before the day was over.

"Hi Toots, I missed you. How was school." She asked her while leaning over to give Catherine a hug. She smiled as she felt her mother in law's hand rub against her stomach.

"It was fun. We made a barmoter"

"You mean ba-ro-me-ter. That sounds fun. Did you see how cold it was outside?"

"uh huh" she said nodding her head before concentrating on putting tomato sauce on the fresh dough Catherine had just rolled out.

"Livia, why don't you go take a seat honey. We don't need you exerting yourself anymore today."

Olivia forced a smile before walking out of the kitchen and into the downstairs guestroom. She was angry at the fact that he'd obviously told his parents about what happened today although she'd told him not to. Pulling out her phone, she went to work furiously typing out a long text to Abby listing all the reasons she needed to get away from him this weekend.

She typed for what seemed like forever. She let out everything she needed to say to her best friend and groaned when the door opened and Fitz walked in.

"Mom was worried, so I let her know what was going on. And about the vitamins, I was just reminding you Liv. You know like you told me to do? I didn't mean to upset you. If you don't want me to, then maybe you should set a timer or something for it."

_He was still on the topic of vitamins?_

"It was a couple of days Fitz, a couple."

He moved towards the door and closed it before he went to stand in front of her.

"Yea a couple of days that you forgot to take your vitamins, drink plenty of fluids, and obviously eat which had you pass out today. Forgive me if I care enough about you to make sure you and our baby stay healthy Olivia."

"I did not pass out, I was lightheaded. You HAVE to stop being this way Fitz, I can't do this for the rest of this pregnancy."

"Being what way? Loving? Caring? Worried that my wife acts like I'm a pain the ass because I want her to have a healthy pregnancy."

"You're smothering me!" her voice finally escalated as she turned around to look at him.

She understood that he wanted to be there for her, but for the past week, she'd felt smothered and after being sent home early from school he'd taken off of work and come home with her. If it wasn't him in her face about relaxing and eating properly today, it was him was texting and calling her in between patients throughout the week. Olivia was not used to being micromanaged and that's exactly what she felt Fitz was doing. Abby checked up on her daily when she was pregnant with Madison, but Olivia never felt like she was completely ordering her around like she felt Fitz was doing.

"I'm _smothering_ you? I do everything you for you! I've been working my ass off, stretching myself thin to make sure you have NOTHING to worry about. Not the house, not Madison, not the dog, anything! All I ask is that you take care of yourself and the baby! Is that too much to want to make sure everything is fucking perfect for you? Cause we know damn sure Jake didn't give a shit about you before, during, or after your pregnancy with her!"

She turned to face him, her heart immediately sinking. He'd never looked so hurt.

"Fitz" she began but he interrupted her.

"WHY WON'T YOU LET ME BE THERE FOR YOU?" He yelled.

"_**The second anything gets hard you just run Olivia, that's what you do! You didn't even try!"**_

His voice grew louder in her hears, almost drowning out what Fitz was saying. She couldn't focus on both, not now, but they were both demanding her attention and neither of them were welcomed right now. She knew only one could win out in the end, and Olivia just hoped that she didn't lose herself or her husband in the process of this internal battle she was facing.

"WHY WON'T YOU LET ME TAKE CARE OF MY BODY, AND MY DAUGHTER THE WAY I WANT TO!?"

"YOUR daughter? So she's just YOURS now? What the actual fuck, Liv? How can you say that to me? She's my daughter too!"

"Yea, well by blood, she's mine." She muttered the words under her breath, but he'd heard them and Olivia's hand immediately came to cover her lips, not believing she'd actually spoken the words her heart meant in no way.

The look on his face was distraught, and he could tell by the look on her face that she too was surprised by the words that left her own lips. The sound of the creaking door broke their gaze and they turned to see just a portion of Madison's face through the cracked door.

"Why are you yelling?"

Her voice was small, timid and they both could hear the shake in her voice and knew there were tears in her eyes. Sure she'd seen them disagree with one another and witnessed them confront each other respectfully- something they were proud of- kids should see their parents face some conflict and see them handle it properly. But this was something she'd never witnessed and her reaction proved that.

Fitz was the first one to move towards her. He pulled the door open wider and at seeing her arms raised, he obliged in picking her up before smothering her in a hug.

"I don't want you and mommy to fight anymore."

He wasn't sure if Olivia heard her pleas, but they broke his heart and he wanted to make sure he never heard her voice this way again.

"We won't baby, we won't."

"I don't want a new daddy because you and mommy are fighting."

"_**No man wants to raise another man's child; especially my child because I will be in her life and make YOUR life a living hell if you try and stop me from seeing my child."**_

Now that, Olivia did hear. Her heart broke at the words and she knew this couldn't keep going on. She didn't know how to break this hold of fear that was over her, but she'd try anything to keep her little girl from feeling to scared and insecure.

"Baby, everything is going to be okay."

"Do you promise?"

Olivia nodded her head and kissed the little girl's hand. "Mommy promises. I'm gonna go home, but I love you. Go finish cooking with grandma."

"Are you leaving too, daddy?"

"In a little while baby." He would feel bad for making his mom cook another pizza if they both left, but he knew he couldn't stop his wife from leaving.

He watched Olivia turn towards the bed and grabbed her phone before leaving the room. She slipped her coat back on and turned to tell them goodbye.

"Can you tell them I'll see them Sunday?"

"Yea. Are you going straight home?"

He knew him asking her that was the last thing she'd want to hear but he couldn't help himself. There was no way possible he wouldn't worry about her.

"I think so."

He raised his eyebrows at her response. He didn't want to do this, let alone any type of disagreeing in front of Madison right now. He could feel how vulnerable and insecure she felt with the grip she had on him.

"I'm not trying to be difficult Fitz, I promise. I might go see Abby, and if not I'll be at home."

Olivia didn't know if it was the way he looked at her in that moment or if it was the way he held just as tightly to Madison as the little girl did to him, but she had no choice but to step forward and make herself a part of their embrace. His arm wrapped around her body, and although she moved away soon after, she was glad she had given them that moment together.

* * *

Olivia had driven towards the house and stopped through the line at Chickfila and grabbed a lemonade frozen drink. While waiting to pay for the drink, she pulled out her phone and saw the missed text from Abby that had been sent while she was still at her in-laws.

**Liv, I know you're on edge and you're pissed at his hovering but you need to remember that it's not Fitz that's upsetting you, it's his actions. And I don't even think it's his actions that are pissing you off. You had free reign to do whatever you wanted when you were pregnant with Madison with the exception of me, and even I didn't butt in too much because you were a pain in the ass. **

Olivia rolled her eyes and inched forward in the drive thru before handing the cashier a few dollar bills. She looked to her right to make sure no one was coming alongside of her car and pulled into a vacant spot to respond to Abby's text.

_I was not. And you had plenty to say about every little thing I did while I was pregnant._

**You were and you know it. And I said what I needed to and the only reason you even halfway listened is because I'm your best friend and I know you.**

Abby had pushed a button Olivia didn't know she had. She was upset but she couldn't let the feeling of her husband being undermined by her best friend slide. Even though she didn't mean it that way.

_But Fitz is my best friend too and he knows me. The only difference is he's… I don't know why there's a difference to be honest. _

Deciding that she couldn't type everything she was feeling out, Abby called Olivia's phone and waited for her to pick up

"Liv, he's a man. That's the difference and he's trying to tell you or actually he's suggesting for you to do certain things and you're reverting back to how you were with Jake. He was scum but when he tried you knew he had ulterior motives and you shut him down and distanced yourself and the baby so much. You know I don't fault you for that, but Fitz is NOT Jake. He's your husband that you love VERY much and that's his baby too. His baby that he completely loves and wants to be there for. You have to allow him this experience Liv. And more than you're already doing. He DOES get a say in your complete wellbeing and that includes hovering."

"Abby, I know you're right but there's still something holding me back and I honestly have no clue what it is. Why do I feel threatened, even a little bit with him now? Why now? I chewed his head off earlier when I found out he made plans for Madison this weekend, I let him in a little then push him away and I promise you Abby I don't even understand my actions. I'm constantly having dreams about either Madison leaving me, or Fitz taking both of the kids away from me and I'm just lost and you know me, when I'm lost I run and I put up my guard. But he's my husband Abby! I don't want my guard up with him." She broke down in tears. She was just so confused about everything lately.

"Liv, I love you and because I love you, I'm just going to come out with it. You need to break this hold Jake has over you."

"What?" Liv asked incredulously. How dare Abby even suggest that Jake was even someone she thought about, ever.

"You went through hell with him Liv. He controlled you in every way possible, he hurt your child, and made you fearful that he would take her away from you. He made you believe that no one would ever want you because of her and then he made you believe somewhere deep down inside that all men were like him. Fitz is everything you need and deserve, but you are still letting Jake have an ounce of control over you. Everything you ever feared with him, you're transferring that to your relationship with Fitz. You need closure. Things happened so fast and he was gone, and completely out of Madison's life and that was great. Him being gone so suddenly for _her_ was a good thing, but the years of hurt that he caused you can't just go away instantly and I think we're seeing that now."

Olivia sat back and took a deep breath. She wouldn't admit this out loud, but Abby was right. The past few weeks Jake has been in her head and no matter what she does she can't rid herself of him. She never dealt with the toxic emotions she harbored for Jake, even after his death. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she realized that she needed that. He had so much control over her life, even from the grave, and she needed to get everything off her chest. She knew that releasing those words and emotions she's been bottling up would be the start of changing everything.

* * *

By the time Olivia arrived at the cemetery, the sun was just beginning to set. She lackadaisically spent about fifteen minutes looking for the generic headstone she hoped to never have to see, ever again. By time she'd found it,the sun had set even further.

Olivia tightened her scarf around her neck and shivered as she took in the ominous view. There was an eerie chill in the air that had nothing to do with the weather. She took a deep breath, and stuffed her gloved hands in her pocket, as she was unable to stop fidgeting as she approached the slab.

There were flowers planted around each grave, per the cemetery's landscaping design. He had to have known that these were the only flowers he'd receive after his death. But what he did or didn't know wasn't really her concern. This moment wasn't about Jake, this was about her. He had taken enough of her life and it was time she took it back. Oliva raised her head defiantly and looked at his headstone.

**Jacob Matthew Ballard**

**April 17, 1981– March 31, 2014**

That was it. There was no epitaph, no pictures etched, nothing to show that anyone cared whether this man lived or died, and inwardly Liv felt both the joy and pain within, as they engaged in a dangerous battle. She knew this wasn't on her. HE, wasn't on her. His parents made him the way that he was, who he was, what… he was. She gave him her all in the beginning.

"_**Everything isn't always about what you want Olivia. I can't be perfect like you okay?"**_

She gave him chances, far too many to count, to change his ways. He never did. He never wanted to be better. He ignored every plea for him to be a better person. Olivia always tried. She didn't give up on him until she realized that not only did he NOT want to change, but that he would continue on a downhill path.

"_**Oh, I make things worse? If you hadn't pushed and pushed"**_

His voice was back and it was louder than ever. Jake always did seem to be the loudest when he was the most afraid. He always walked around pretending that he was invincible, like he was immortal, but she saw through him for what he really was. He may have fooled her in the beginning but…

Feeling the baby inside delicately move, Olivia rubbed her stomach and her mind switched to the first time she'd felt Madison move.

Jake wasn't there. On what was supposed to be the most beautiful day of their lives, he was nowhere to be found. Olivia took a step closer to the slab, and looked at it in disgust. This was it, now or never. It was time to let it all out. She took a deep breath to center herself, unsure of what she was going to say. Instead of thinking, she decided to unleash everything she had bottled up over the past four years.

"When I went into labor, you weren't there to drive me to the hospital. I had to call 911 and wait for a stranger to come to my aide. I had to ride in an ambulance alone and scared, not knowing how to ease the fears running through my mind. If it weren't for Abby… It was Abby that held my hand through every contraction and it was Abby who cut the umbilical cord. That is the story I get to tell my daughter when she grows up and asks about the day she was born." She paused feeling herself getting worked up. She needed to do this, but Jake wasn't worth the life growing inside of her. She'd be damned if she gave him _THAT_ much power over her.

"I remember her being so fussy. No matter what time of the day it was she would just cry for no reason. I thought that maybe she was colicky. It had gone on for weeks. Every time she'd cry, you'd shake me awake and yell for me to shut her up. Your own child. She was in pain and that was your response?

"_**You say that like it's a bad thing Olivia…**_

"You never did ANYTHING FOR HER! I remember this one time, she had just turned one and you'd left your phone out which was your own fault. I told you time and again to keep your phone out of the baby's reach but of course you never listened. Anyways, Madison had gotten a hold of it. She was teething and did what all babies do. She put it in her mouth and I saw you get so angry that you wanted to hit her. You tried to spank her! SHE WAS A BABY! WHAT WAS WRONG WITH YOU! YOU HAD THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD IN HER AND YOU DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT HER."

"_**Hell!**__** My dad would push me and knock me around every day…"**_

She stomped her foot against the near melted snow and grew frustrated as the years of wanting, yearning, anger, fear, all came rushing back. Liv viciously wiped the tears from her eyes. She had so much anger for this man, but she was even more upset that he was still getting to her. Liv felt her breathing change and closed her eyes for a second to center herself once again. She reminded herself that no matter what, the life she was carrying was the most important thing right now. Once she felt her heart rate return to normal, she stood tall, and prepared herself to continue letting it all out.

"You played such a good game. I must give you that. You had me so good Jake. You… you wooed me, and spoiled me. You lulled me into a false sense of security. You made me believe that you were the best that could ever happen to me"

"_**You say that like it's a bad thing Olivia."**_

"You made me believe that you were the best that could ever happen to me, and you were the worst. You belittled me, and made me afraid to move forward and do things. You're still ruining my life! Everything you did to ME and MY daughter still haunts me! You let her get physically hurt and didn't blink an eye and you always made me believe that I was not a good mother."

"_**I don't want hysterics, so control yourself."**_

She took a minute to wipe her tears away. A gust of wind swept across the plot, and Liv's eyes snapped shut. When she opened them, an overwhelming rush of anger came over her, and something inside of her snapped. Her tiny hands gripped onto the cold, hard headstone, and Olivia clawed at the stone.

"I HATE YOU! YOU FUCKING BASTARD, YOU RUINED ME! YOU ALMOST RUINED MADISON! YOU TREATED MY LITTLE GIRL LIKE SHE WASN'T THE MOST PRECIOUS FUCKING THING IN THE WORLD! SHE'S PERFECT AND YOU WERE TOO BLIND TO LOVE HER! SHE IS BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU! I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL YOU SMUG SON OF A BITCH!"

"_**None of this would've happened if you would've just left it alone."**_

Not being able to stop herself, she walked around to the flowers outlining the grave and began kicking at the dirt, destroy their roots in the process. Olivia wasn't sure on what had come over her, but she was hell bent on causing Jake as much destruction as he had caused her.

"You were the shittiest human alive. You didn't deserve me and you damn sure didn't deserve Madison. But you know what? None of that matters because I have the most amazing, loving, attentive, trustworthy man in my life and he treats me like a queen and Madison like a princess. I'm so glad to have found someone that's infinitely better than you! And believe me, I had no problems walking down the aisle to become his wife. Hmph, I damn near ran into his awaiting arms which is something I'd never do for you. He loves me so much and he takes care of me and caters to me, and respects me" she broke down speaking those words, remembering just how horribly she had been treating him lately.

"_**That was sweet and all, but no man wants to raise another man's child; especially my child…**__**"**_

"He respects me so much and he wants only good things for our family. We have a family now. We're having a baby and he's here for it all! He loves Madison and this baby and me with everything he has. He's more of a man you will EVER be and I'm so glad you made me realize what I was missing."

"_**Are you even listening to me!?"**_

"Fence. You remember Madison speaking about Fence. Remember how happy she was at the thought of visiting him, or how when something was wrong he was the man she wanted to protect her. He is her everything. He is my everything. Him, Mads, this baby. They are my everything and nothing will ever change that. So goodbye Jake, I'm done. I am done with this hold you had on me. I am done with allowing you to consume my thoughts. I'm done with allowing you to meddle in my marriage. You don't get that power. You don't deserve that power."

"_**Olivia, just fucking talk to me for a second"**_

"Goodbye Jake…"

Olivia wiped the tears from her eyes and turned around with her head held high feeling relieved and entirely drained of every ounce of energy her body could posses. She dug through her pockets to find her keys and became frustrated when she couldn't find them right away. She had left her phone in the car and realized she couldn't use it as a flashlight to see where she was going, so instead she just kept her head down, watching her every step back to where she 'd left her car.

It was only when she reached the car and treaded carefully to the driver's side, that she noticed a pair of familiar dark boots. Her eyes trailed up until they landed on her husband's perfect eyes staring back at her. She stopped walking, unsure of what his reaction would be after seeing her here. Had he heard her words and seen how worked up she allowed herself to get? Was he upset with her? Would he think she was once again putting their child in danger?

"Hi, Livvie"

The sincerity of his voice caught her off guard and her heart softened, feeling that familiar sensation of contentment in his voice. She could feel the warmth coming from his gaze and she felt like she'd won the lottery just by standing in his presence.

He stared at her watching the light reappear in her eyes as she focused on his eyes. She had one hand pressed against her stomach and he could tell she was barely keeping the tears from filling her eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, baby"

She couldn't stop herself from walking into his arms and when she was close enough, he grabbed her with both arms and brought her into a warm embrace. The floodgates opened and she sobbed into his chest, whispering apologies and begging for forgiveness for how she had been treating him all the while he rubbed her back and told her repeatedly how much he loved her and how she was everything to him. When she finally pulled back to look at him, Fitz smiled before leaning down and kissing her lips softly, his hands moving to rest on the sides of her belly.

"How did you know where to find me?"

"I got a call from Abby and she told me what she had said to you and I wasn't one hundred percent sure, but a part of me thought you'd be here. I didn't even realize this was something you needed, Livvie and I'm sorry for that. I promise you to always look deeper and keep looking until I know where your head is."

"I didn't know either but I'm glad I did. I feel so much freer and I don't ever want to feel like I felt again. I'm so sorry for the way I've been acting and the horrible things I've said to you Fitz."

She held his face in her hands, tears filling her eyes as her lips trembled.

"I'll never forgive myself for the insinuations I made about Madison not being yours. I…. I don't.. I'm not even sure why.."

"Livvie stop. I forgive you. I love you baby and as much as I like to think it, I know you're not perfect. I'm not either. We're going to make mistakes from time to time."

"It's our first real one seems like. I feel like we've been living in this fairytale and when we, when I started this mess it was almost too much of a surprise to just stop. The pain I was feeling was so real but I knew it wasn't from you and it scared me to face the truth."

"You're right, we've been pretty blessed and have sailed smoothly so far, but marriage, life in general isn't a fairlytale."

"It's hard. It's work."

"It is."

She sniffed and looked down before taking a deep breath and looking up to ask him what was on her heart.

"Is it what you want?"

Fitz waited a breath before bending down so he was at eye level with her and cupped her face gently before speaking quietly, "I don't want normal and easy and simple with you, Livvie. I want painful, difficult, devastating, life-changing, extraordinary love. And I want that with you. I want you, Livvie. I want all of you. Forever. You and me. Every day."

Olivia was crying too hard to speak as she nodded her head, but the grip she had on her husband's face as she kissed him let her know that she was in the same boat as he was. They kissed until the need for air because absolutely necessary and Olivia pulled back before resting her forehead against his, breathing him in deeply.

"I want that too. I want it with you too, Fitz."

* * *

Fitz looked in the rear view mirror at his daughter and watched as she glanced out of the window as her feet softly kicked against the back of the passenger seat. Her excitement was overwhelming in the best way possible. The family of three- and a half- originally had tickets for the three of them to go see Disney on Ice, that Sunday afternoon, but after such a draining weekend, Olivia opted to listen to her husband and had taken the silent house for granted while daddy and daughter spent some quality time together. Olivia didn't fret over the thirty dollar ticket going to waste, and big her husband and daughter farewell before completely relaxing.

Fitz pulled into the parking space that he was directed to and after he had shut the car off and gotten out, he went to the backseat and unbuckled Madison before taking her to the front seat.

"Alright Mads, mommy packed your Minnie dress to wear, do you wanna put it on over your clothes?"

"Can I take my clothes off and just wear my dress?" she asked.

"It's too cold for just a dress baby, but it will still look pretty over your clothes."

She conceded nonchalantly, and Fitz helped her take off the puffy coat before slipping the pink and red Minnie Mouse dress over her head and securing the buttons at the back. Olivia had done her hair into two buns on the sides of her head, making it seem like she had mouse ears and Fitz couldn't believe how utterly adorable she was. Lifting her into his arms, he locked the car up and followed the crowd of parents and children into the area. Once their ticket was scanned, they made their way towards their section, passing all the food vendors and souvenir stands.

"Daddy, Daddy, what's that?"

Madison asked excitedly from her spot on Fitz's shoulders. He felt her little hands turn his head in the direction she wanted him to look.

"Oh," he began, noticing what caught her eye. "that's a snow cone. Like the ones they have when we went to the fair. You want to get one and share it?"

"Yes!"

He didn't want to give her too many sweets before she had her dinner that night, but knowing she'd just eaten lunch he figured they could share one. He also knew it wouldn't take too long before she would be shivering and refuse anymore of the cold treat. When it was their turn in line, she took her sweet time placing her elbow atop of Fitz's head while her index finger tapped against her chin, to answer the young lady's question of what princess cup she wanted. Giving her leg a gentle squeeze, Fitz glanced up at her before gently telling her she had to make a decision so other people could get theirs as well. He knew she'd choose Ariel and once the tea-pot like cup was filled with pink and purple colored ice, moved out of line to grab a few extra napkins before he placed the cup on the condiments table and bent down to let Madison stand on her two feet.

"Hold daddy's hand while we walk to our seats, okay? Can you carry this?" he asked referring to her small backpack that was filled with wipes, two bottles of water, a few extra hair ties and an extra pair of clothes that Olivia had packed just in case her daughter's excitement caught her in an uneasy position. It surely wouldn't have been the first time.

"Okay daddy, but don't forget my snow cone"

Madison reached up to grab a hold of his hand and after watching him to make sure he grabbed her cup, they walked into the main auditorium before Fitz held her hand a little tighter as they walked down many steps to get to their seats. They sat down together and used the spoons Fitz had grabbed to eat the snow cone while talking about who they were most excited to see skating. Fitz had to pry his phone away from the little girl on the way there after he'd shown her the commercial video and she insisted on watching it over and over again.

Fitz looked around at all the different types of families with their children that were close by. Some very young, some older. Some had a single kid while some had more than one. There were grandparents who's arms were filled with souvenirs they'd spoiled their grandchild with, and a few other dads with little girls dressed up like a princess or a different character. The second Fitz thought to check his watch for the time, the lights dimmed and the noise filled auditorium was filled with hushed voices and wide-eyed children waiting to see what would happen.

Pink, purple, green, blue, yellow lights suddenly shined on the ice and seconds later, there was music and the voice of a certain character welcomed everyone and asked if the kids wanted to meet his friends.

"MICKEY! It's MICKEY MOUSE, DADDY!"

Fitz smiled at her excitement as she glanced from his face to the rink, sliding from her seat and moving closer to him.

"I know I see him baby"

Fitz didn't want to say too much because he knew she didn't need a response from him. She was in her element and was becoming overtly excited and couldn't help but say what was in her head.

"GOOFY! I SEE HIM! HI GOOFY!"

She moved again, this time standing in between Fitz's legs with her hands resting against each of his knees, lifting herself just a tad in the air, bouncing from excitement.

"Daddy look at Tinkerbell's dress! It's so pretty"

The arena had grown extremely loud from the music they were playing to children screaming and calling their names to parents that were following Mickey's directions and clapping that Fitz hadn't heard her excitement over the tiny fairy.

"Look Mads, it's Tinkerbell!" he said moving his lips closer to her ear.

"Yea! I said that first!... GOOFY! He's over here" she smiled watching the human-dressed dog skate closer to their side of the rink once again. They weren't at the front, but had really great seats nonetheless.

Once all the characters were introduced, they stared playing a song Fitz had never heard but Madison lit up the second she heard the music and started shaking her hips and moving her arms to the beat.

Fitz didn't want to not be in the moment with his little girl, but he also knew he had to capture some of today on camera for Olivia as well as himself. She was just so happy and it was such a contrast to how she was when he'd left her at his parent's house just two days ago.

Moving her over so she was more standing in front of her own seat, Fitz began to record her, smiling every time she would glance over at him before turning her attention back to the skating characters. It was when the characters started moving and making their way to different sides of the wall that Madison started jumping up and down. Stitch had come over and with his hands in the air, he started shaking his hips fast, not noticing Lilo coming up next to him to do the same.

"Daddy look at him!"

"I see him! I see them both!"

Madison smiled widely before she cupped her hands around her mouth and turned towards the camera.

"You have to send this to mommy, today."

"Okay" Fitz responded nodding. She was so considerate.

"Because she likes it. This is hers favorite movie!"

She was right, her mother loved Lilo an Stitch.

It was during intermission that Fitz realized how much his daughter's contagious joy caught the attention of so many others. Little did he knew the camera the camera had been pointed at them many times and as he walked around to find the bathroom, the screens outside of the arena showcased pictures of the kids faces and his little girl was on the screen more times than he could count.

"Oh that's her!"

Fitz turned at the voice that seemed so close and smiled at the older women that had her hands filled with two popcorn buckets.

"Oh your little girl's picture keeps coming up and I swear she's just beautiful! I don't know if you're getting the pictures or not, but I'm not even sure how you could just choose one!"

Madison who would've normally been shy at such attention from a stranger smiled at, watching the screen to see her face again.

"Thank you so much, I'm very blessed to have an amazing little girl, and a son on the way pretty soon." He couldn't help but be proud of his little girl and letting the woman know about his unborn son just came out naturally. "Are you saying we're able to order those pictures or print them off some way?" he asked gesturing behind him to the screen where Madison's face had come up once again on the slideshow.

"Yep, right over at that table the pictures had codes on the bottom and you have to show proof that the child is with you and get an order number."

"Thank you, I appreciate your help. Enjoy the rest of the show."

"You guys do the same."

The show started up again and each character came out with their movie or show ensemble and did different routines making the kids quiet down and become entranced. Madison had taken to sitting only in her daddy's lap, but once the show was coming to an end and the final dance-a-long started, Madison stood in front of her seat again and joined in.

As each character skated around the rim of the rink, waving at the children, Madison waved back excitedly and it wasn't till Minnie Mouse passed that the little girl's smile grew ten times larger as she moved back against her seat and turned to Fitz.

"SHE WAVED-ED TO ME!" Her mouth was wide open, showing all of her tiny teeth as she smiled and her hands came up to her little mouth bringing her fingers to her lips, blushing. Her nose was scrunched in excitement and she turned to wave more at her favorite character.

"THANK YOU DADDY! I THINK YOU'RE THE GOODEST DADDY EVER!"

Fitz dropped his phone into his lap as his little Minnie Mouse pushed her way into his lap and squeezed his neck. He held her tightly to his chest feeling the tears well up in his eyes as people noticeably looked on at the little girl that had stolen most of the show and was now showing complete gratitude and affection. It was something he was used to, but he wouldn't dare ever take it for granted. He thought she was the goodest daughter as well.

* * *

Fitz and Madison walked hand and hand into the grand entrance of the large store and were immediately greeted with an associate asking them if they were just browsing or planning to purchase merchandise.

"What do you think Mads," Fitz said bending down to her level. She was still dressed in her Minnie Mouse dress and now was also wearing three bright necklaces she had asked so sweetly to have which he couldn't say no to. "…should we build a bear?"

She nodded excitedly and the woman brought them over to pick out what she wanted to stuff. After Madison picked out a light tan bear with blue-ish eyes, they walked over to the stuffing station where the lady filled it a little before stopping the machine and handing it to Madison while still keeping a grip on the opening.

"Do you want your bear soft little this or you want him to have a little more stuffing inside?"

"More" was her immediate response after giving him a squeeze.

She went to stuff more inside before giving her one last squeeze which Madison nodded happily at it being enough stuffing. They moved on to the wishing station and the woman told Madison that she could make a wish on a heart charm and put it into the bear before they sew it up.

"Will that be his heart?" she asked looking at Fitz for confirmation. He was completely unsure of what to say and figured he'd let the woman answer since she probably got this question often.

"Yea it can be his hear, but it's also a wish you can make too"

"Can I have two hearts so my daddy can make a wish too?"

Fitz watched as the woman placed her hand against her chest and he knew she wouldn't say no. They each got a heart and Fitz followed suit when she saw Madison squeeze her eyes shut before looking up for a few seconds and opening her eyes again. She placed the heart into the opening and once Fitz followed suit, the woman stepped away to sew him up.

"What did you wish for daddy?" Madison asked in a whisper the second they were alone.

"I can't tell you that" he said playfully poking her in the stomach.

"I'll tell you mine" she egged on convincingly.

"Ok, tell me yours first."

"I wished that you and mommy won't yell anymore and that you can always stay my daddy."

Fitz sighed and brought Madison into his arms before standing upright. His large hand moved to the side of her face and he smiled at how nervous she looked in that moment.

"Madison Olivia Grant, me and mommy are so sorry that we worried you when we were yelling. Sometimes mommy and daddy's get upset but when you love someone so much like me and mommy love each other, then even when we get upset, we never stop loving each other and being a family."

"Never?"

"Never." He confirmed. "Do you wanna know a secret?"

"Yes"

"I'm going to be your daddy forever" he whispered in her ear.

He felt her little arms wound around his neck and it was only at that moment did he realize the effect their blow up had on her.

"Forever and ever?"

He squeezed her a little bit tighter, molding her into his embrace before kissing her cheek just under her ear, and mimicking her words.

"Forever and ever baby. I'm going to be your daddy and love you every day until forever."

* * *

Fitz felt a sense of calm wash over him as he watched Madison sleeping peacefully. No matter what was going on in his world, he could count on Madison to make it right. They'd had a calm evening after they had gotten home from Build a Bear. They'd found leftover dinner in the oven waiting for them and when Fitz went to check on his wife, he could smell the aroma that proved she had recently bathed and when he went into the room he noticed her passed out in their bed. He fed Madison before bathing her and putting her pajama's on. They watched a short movie together before Fitz tucked her in shortly after.

Fitz whispered a "good boy" to Scooter who was sleeping in his rightful place at the foot of her bed, and slowly closed the door, being careful as to not disturb the two.

Fitz turned to his bedroom and sighed. He knew how things had shifted yesterday between them, but he couldn't help but to be a little apprehensive not knowing if she was even awake.

He trekked his way towards the door, each step feeling heavier than the last. Slowly reaching for the knob, Fitz turned it slowly as if he were unsure if he was welcomed at this moment. The last few days had honestly taken its toll on him, and it showed in his hunched shoulders and labored steps. When the door fully opened, he froze as the sight he was met with left his mouth dry, and caused his pants to grow tight.

"What took you so long?" Liv asked as she sat propped up against the headboard, wearing nothing but Fitz's stethoscope and a pair of red 6 inch heels.

"I.. Umm.. Read Mads a story. She's… Ummm… Out like a light." He managed to choke out in a strained voice.

Liv slid her way off of the bed and sauntered over to Fitz. The fact that he flinched as she lifted her hand to rest on the back of his head was not lost on either of them, but she pushed it aside. This moment was about showing him just how much she loved and appreciated him. "Well, since you've spent so much time taking care of me and Madison this weekend, I thought it only fair that I take care of you. I love you so much babe."

"I love you too Livvie."

Olivia's free hand slid up Fitz's chest and rested on his face. She looked into his eyes, praying he could see all of her love for him reflected in them. "I don't think you understand just how much I love you." She lifted herself up a little higher and brushed her lips across his. It was the lightest kiss, but Fitz had never felt so full of love in his life. "So tonight, I'm going to show you. Over and over and over again."

"What do you have in mind?" He croaked although her lack of attire spoke volumes to the direction their night was headed. Olivia turned and walked towards her nightstand. She picked up her phone and scrolled through her playlist until she found the perfect song for this moment, and put it on repeat. Once the song began to play, she walked over to Fitz and slowly led him to the bed.

_**Baby I see you working hard**_

_**I want to let you know I'm proud**_

_**Let you know that I admire what you do**_

_**The more if I need to reassure you, my life would**_

_**Be purposeless without you (yeah)**_

_**If I want it (got it)**_

_**When I ask you (you provide it)**_

_**You inspire me to be better**_

_**You challenge me for the better**_

_**Sit back and let me pour out my love letter**_

Liv pushed Fitz onto the bed and smirked as the look of shock and arousal splashed across his face. She bent down and began removing his shoes and socks, before climbing slowly up his body.

"I love you so much baby." She whimpered out as her hands began to slowly undo the buttons of his shirt. Her breath hitched as she slid the fabric off of his shoulders, allowing his muscular form to slowly come into view. Fitz allowed his wife to take the lead. He was unsure of exactly how this would end, but he knew he'd enjoy the ride as Liv began placing moist opened mouth kisses across his chest.

"I… Love… You." She muttered over and over between kisses. She didn't stop until she was sure she had covered every inch of his chest.

Liv felt the moisture pooling between her thighs as she slid herself higher, and came to rest on his abdomen. As much as she wanted to rip his clothes off and jump him right there, she needed this moment to be tender and slow. She needed to fill him with her love as she knew she had drained him over the past few days.

_**Let me help you**_

_**Take off your shoes**_

_**Untie your shoestrings**_

_**Take off your cufflinks (yeah)**_

_**What you want to eat boo (yeah)**_

_**Let me feed you**_

_**Let me run your bathwater**_

_**Whatever your desire, I'll supply ya**_

Olivia slid backwards so she was now straddling Fitz's thighs. She cupped the crotch of his pants, and moaned as she felt his dick twitch beneath the fabric. Her eyes locked onto his as her hands made quick work of his belt and she began to work on unfastening his pants.

"I love the way you take care of me… Of us. How you never did mind coming home after a forty-eight hour shift and immediately jumping into daddy mode and taking care of OUR little girl. How you never mind letting me sleep late. How you are so attentive to Mads…" Olivia reached for Fitz's hand and placed it over her stomach. "Or this one right here." Fitz gazed into Olivia's eyes as his hands roamed her ever changing abdomen. He loved the silky feel of his wife's body under his fingertips, and he missed the sounds he could coax from her body with just a touch. His hands roamed higher, cupping her full breasts, and he noticed a flash of pain in her eyes, which quickly subsided and was replaced with desire.

_**Let me cater to you**_

_**Cause baby this is your day**_

_**Do anything for my man**_

_**Baby you blow me away**_

_**I got your slippers, your dinner, your dessert and so much more**_

_**Anything you want just let me cater to you**_

Olivia hooked her fingers in the waistband of his boxers and began pulling them down painfully slow. "I love the way you show genuine concern for the well being of OUR children. I love how you check on me throughout the day and make sure that I'm ok."She licked her lips as she slid over his hips and his erection sprang to life. It was a sin that his body was this beautiful.

Fitz gasped as Olivia lowered her head and licked a slow path from his base to his tip. Shivers went down his spine as he felt her tongue gliding along the ridges of his throbbing erection.

"Livvie..." He moaned out as she blew on the tip of his penis before swirling her tongue around the tender flesh. His mind was spinning and he knew that if he wasn't inside of her soon, he'd explode.

"Shhh… Let me love you baby." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear before taking him fully into her mouth.

_**Inspire me from the heart**_

_**Can't nothing tear us apart**_

_**You're all I want in a man;**_

_**I put my life in your hands**_

_**I got your slippers, your dinner**_

_**Your dessert and so much more**_

_**Anything you want, I want to cater to you**_

"Fuck!" Fitz cried out as he felt his wife welcoming him in the back of her throat. She began to alternate between fisting him and damn near swallowing him whole, and Fitz knew he wouldn't last much longer.

"You like that baby?" She asked coyly as she began pumping him harder and faster. Before he had a chance to respond, she had taken him in her mouth all over again.

"Hmmm" Fitz rumbled in his chest. He was mesmerized watching his wife take him in his mouth repeatedly. Her ass was in the air, and her hips rotating and he could tell she was trying to stifle her own desire until he was satisfied. "C'mere babe." He demanded, and Olivia grew excited as he pulled her up and turned her around before making her straddle his waist. Fitz laid back and pulled her hips until her glistening mound was positioned over his mouth. Without warning he pulled her down forcefully, thrusting his tongue inside of her in the process.

His tongue began thrashing in and out of her and Liv had to fight the urge to cry out in this moment. She leaned down as carefully as she could, and took his length into her mouth once again to stifle her cries.

Fitz knew the name of this game. Both were working hard to bring the other to climax, but he was determined to make Olivia cum at least twice before he flipped her over and fucked her senseless.

The familiar pulsing alerted Liv that she was close. She doubled her efforts but faltered as Fitz hooked his arms around her thighs and pulled her further into him. Her senses were becoming clouded and she couldn't understand how he could be so strategic in his maneuvering at a time like this when she couldn't even remember her name. None of that really matter as the moment shifted and took on a more powerful tone.

"I love you Livvie… So much…" Fitz whimpered against her core as he eased up a bit and began placing loving kisses on her slick folds.

"I love you too Fitz… More than you ever know." She panted in response as her nails raked across his thighs. They repeated the words as they used their hands to bring the other to the brink of climax. It was important to them both to relay that although they were being intimate, they needed to build the other up, to strengthen one another with their love and their words. After this week, this moment was needed now more than ever.

Fitz felt Olivia's thighs tightening around his head and knew she was on the brink. He whispered his love and admiration for her once more, just before slowly dragging his tongue over her clit. She immediately exploded from the intensity of the moment, and collapsed onto his body. He wasted no time flipping them over and positioning himself so they were now face to face. His hand came up and caressed her face as he reunited their bodies once again.

"I love you so much Fitz. You are my world. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."

"You are everything Livvie. You are the sun, the moon, the stars. You are the oxygen that I breathe and I swear to you that I will spend the rest of my life giving you what you need. Just tell me what you need and I'll do it."

Olivia clenched her eyes shut as she allowed Fitz's love to wash over her. This moment was too intense for her and she felt her walls come crashing down around her. She was open, exposed, vulnerable. She was in her rarest form, and as the tears began to fall from her eyes, she had never felt safer or more loved, more desired. But this was a feeling she felt she didn't deserve. Especially not after how badly she had treated Fitz this past week.

Fitz knew what she was doing, but he would not allow her to close any part of herself off to him ever again. His hand cupped her chin as his lips brushed softly against hers. "Don't hide from me Livvie. Not now" He begged causing her eyes to spring open at the pain in his voice.

"What do you need? Tell me what you want and I swear to you, I'll do it." He asked again as he began kissing away her salty tears.

Olivia looked up into Fitz's eyes and said the only thing that came to mind. It was honestly all that she needed now and forever. "Just love me Fitz… Love me… love me… forgive me…"

Fitz began thrusting at a slow pace, making sure that his wife was receiving the ultimate pleasure form their union. "I will always love you. Not a day will go by in my life where I won't put you or the children first in everything I do. I forgive you baby. I swear I forgive you. You're everything to me. I exist for you Livvie."

She tangled her hands into Fitz's hair and tugged gently so their mouths could unite. Her tongue swept across his bottom lip, seeking access, which Fitz was more than willing to grant. They switched between deep routed kisses and kissing away the stream of tears they both had flowing down their faces. Each touch, kiss, and thrust was followed by repeated I love you's until they reached their climax together.

Minutes later when their breathing was quieter and they held lazily onto one another, Olivia propped herself up on Fitz's chest and kissed him fully on the lips.

"Tell me that you forgive me"

He brought a hand around her back and held him to her before sitting up so he could look at her completely.

"I forgive you, Livvie. Now it's time to move on. No looking back."

She agreed.

"Thank you. No looking back."

* * *

**There are no words to describe how grateful I am to everyone that reads this story. Thank you for your kind words and support.**

**Jen **


	19. Chapter 18

_**This is my fight song  
Take back my life song  
Prove I'm alright song  
My power's turned on  
Starting right now I'll be strong  
I'll play my fight song  
And I don't really care if nobody else believes  
Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me**_

_**-Fight Song- Rachel Platten**_

_**Thanks for your kind words on the last chapter. Hope you enjoy this chapter. It somewhat picks up where the last one left off, but there's a transition that should be pretty easy to understand. Also if you're interested, I started a new story, Love and Freedom. I still plan to write this one just as diligently. I'm having fun writing the other story- it's a lot shorter chapter length wise, but putting just as much thought into it- I hope. Enjoy. XO.**_

* * *

_Minutes later when their breathing was quieter and they held lazily onto one another, Olivia propped herself up on Fitz's chest and kissed him fully on the lips._

"_Tell me that you forgive me"_

_He brought a hand around her back and held him to her before sitting up so he could look at her completely._

"_I forgive you, Livvie. Now it's time to move on. No looking back."_

_She agreed. _

"_No looking back."_

_The married couple laid in complete silence, allowing their tangled limbs to rest against the other as they sat in solitude. They were on each other's respective side of the bed and it wasn't lost on either of them that anytime they made love, they usually ended up on the opposite side of which they slept. Neither of them seemed to mind. Fitz continued to rub his hands along her bump, his hand around her back and under her left arm. The baby wasn't very active at the moment but he knew he'd start moving around the second his wife's appetite spoke up._

_Olivia enjoyed the feel of his hands against her stomach. He had been very attentive to the area since they'd found out they were pregnant and although the past few weeks hadn't been so easy, she was grateful for his touch. Feeling his hand rub her entire stomach from her panty line to directly under her breast, Olivia's mind immediately went to the moment in the shower just days ago that left her scared and knew this was her chance to let him know of her findings. _

"_Fitz?"_

"_Yea baby"_

"_Remember when I was in the shower Friday and I hadn't realized you had left?"_

"_Yes. What about it?"_

"_When I got out, I was looking for you because I found something." She trailed off. _

"_You found something where? In the shower? What was it?" he glanced down at her, stopping his hand over her navel. _

"_No, I found something here" _

_Fitz felt her take a hold of his hand and move it from her stomach and upward towards her chest. He felt her push his thumb, pinky and ring finger down before taking his middle and index finger and bringing it to her left breast. She moved his fingers around until they both stiffened the second his fingers came in contact with the noticeable lump there. _

"_Livvie?"_

_Fitz's voice was barely above a whisper, but he sat up against their headboard and immediately turned on the lamp next to him before turning back to face her. She had also sat up and had her right arm across her chest, holding both of her breasts modestly._

"_Let me see" His voice gentle yet authoritative and she listened and turned a bit before lifting her left arm above her head to give him access to see the fully exposed portion of her breast._

_Fitz looked closely at the visible side and ran his fingers along the smooth skin before he reached the noticeable lump a little more than halfway towards her areola._

"_It's red" he started, noticing the color right away. "Does it hurt?"_

_She nodded, completely understanding his line of questions. "It's pretty tender."_

"_Were you hurting while we were…"_

"_Not really, I wasn't really focused on anything else, but I remembered it and wanted to show you. I had them once before with Mads, but after my mom I just know that I have to be extra cautious."_

_He knew it wasn't that easy for her to talk about anything dealing with her mom's breast cancer and he was more than glad she'd brought this to his attention. _

"_The fact that it's tender and red definitely makes me think it's from the pregnancy, but we can make an appointment first thing in the morning to just to get you examined. When it happened before, what worked to soothe it, was it a cold compress or a warm one?"_

"_Warm worked best. Or even a heating pad helped some."_

_Fitz moved out of the bed and first went to grab the heating pad from his wife's vanity and plugged it up for her next to the bed. Once he set it next to her he slipped on a pair of boxers and went into the kitchen and heated up a bowl of water. When it was finished he brought it back to their room before grabbing a washcloth and placed it on the nightstand on Olivia's side of the bed._

"_Let me know if it's too warm"_

_Olivia dipped the cloth into the water before rinsing it halfway and carefully brought it to her breast. She winced at little at the initial contact but settled down as it began to alleviate the tenderness in the lump._

"_Thank you, baby. There are certain parts of pregnancy that aren't as fun as others."_

_Fitz nodded before kissing her forehead gently._

"_But it'll all be worth it in the end when we're holding our little boy in our arms."_

"_It will be." Olivia was silent for a few minutes and dipped the cloth back into the water to heat it up before replacing it on her skin._

"So it seems like things were settled that night and you two were back on normal terms with each other. Is that how you see it Olivia?"

"The next morning we did get an appointment and found out it was just a clogged milk duct and I was fine. But with other things, not really. I feel like our sessions have been very productive and I'm not feeling angry anymore from everything I felt Jake took away from me and my daughter.."

"But"

Olivia looked up at her therapist and wondered when she'd start her one word questioning that usually made her frustrated. She'd been going twice a week for the past month and after a few sessions of blowing off some steam about the hurt she felt from her past- not having two parents to guide her and Jake's torment- it had been time to focus on the present and what things Olivia was still having trouble with. She really felt like the past eight sessions allowed her to let go of her past demons she'd allowed into her marriage and she was so grateful for Fitz and his parents working their schedules to make sure Madison would be taken care of during the two hour block.

When Olivia still hadn't spoke, Dr. Owens looked opened up her notes and read for a few seconds before looking up at Olivia once again.

"Last week when you asked if your husband could join us today, I asked you if you wanted him to or if you thought he might _need_ to, and what did you say to that?"

Olivia took a second and turned to look at Fitz sitting next to her on the couch. He was wearing a somber expression and she knew it was because he could see that she was visibly upset and couldn't get her words together. He had been holding her hand but when she'd moved to grab a few tissues, their hands had remained separate.

"I said that I've been trying my best to make up for what I said to him but I think he might need to say some things to me and this might be a safe environment for him to do it in." Olivia rushed out in one breath.

"Fitz, do you know what Olivia is referring to?"

Fitz listened to his wife speak, and knew that things were about to get hard. She'd mentioned how she wanted him to come and he readily agreed knowing that this moment would come up. He knew she was still struggling with the words she'd spoken to him and as much as things were back to normal, her actions when it came to the situation were what gave it away. She was trying way too hard, when he just wanted things to be normal again.

"Yes," he cleared his throat to stop himself from getting choked up. "When we had the blow up at my parent's house, she was upset and said something under her breath but I still heard it."

"What did she say?"

"She referred to Madison as her daughter and not ours. So I asked her how she could say to me and she said that by blood Madison was hers"

Olivia, who already had tears in her eyes remembering the betraying words she had spoken, broke down hearing her husband's hurt voice. Feeling helpless, she brought her face into her hands and began sobbing. She was completely embarrassed and ashamed of her actions, and didn't know how to move past them. She felt that she needed to apologize everyday, and do whatever she needed to in order to make sure Fitz knew how sorry she was, and that she didn't mean a word she'd said.

"Olivia told me about the rest of the night and how you comforted her when she was at the cemetery. Did she ever apologize to you for the comment?"

"I didn't" Olivia spoke before Fitz could. She knew he would try to justify what she did as an apology although it really wasn't.

"Livvie, you did. I know you were apologizing."

"Can you explain to me this conflict I'm hearing, Fitz?"

"We umm, the following day I spent time with Madison- just the two of us and later that night we were… intimate and the things she was saying.. I know it was her way of apologizing."

"You said 'the things she was saying' so did she ever come out and apologize? Just a straight forward actual apology?"

Fitz shook his head and reached over to grab Olivia's hand, knowing how much this was hurting her. It was true that he was hurt as well, but knowing her so well, he knew what her heart wanted to say to him even if she couldn't say the words.

"Olivia, I can see how much this is upsetting you. From what we've talked about, you've never been one to express yourself verbally, and in your defense you weren't allowed to. But now you're with someone that you've told me, you feel you can be yourself one hundred percent and say what you're really feeling and have those feelings validated. I think right now you need to give Fitz that freedom. Freedom to say what he's feeling, what he felt when you said those words to him, and from his words. I won't interrupt, I'll let you respond the way you want to."

Fitz hated this. He didn't want to say any words- no matter how honest they were- that would upset his pregnant wife, but he knew he had to. It would only make things better in the long run.

"When you said what you did, really before that- that whole week you were different. I wish I would have realized it sooner but you were so possessive over her and treated me- at times- like an outsider. I felt like my opinion when it came to Madison didn't matter all of a sudden and you didn't make it your business that we had moments together and you've always done that. If she was cranky in the morning you'd tell her to say good morning to me, or tell her to give me hugs and kisses if you knew I had a rough day at work but all of that was suddenly out the window and I was like this stranger in my own home. When you said that she was your blood, I truly felt like a stepfather. Probably not even that. I felt like I was your husband, but she was your kid and I had no say in anything regarding her."

Fitz knew the tears were forming in his eyes and he didn't stop the first few from falling, but when more continued to fall from his eyes, he wiped them away and took a few deep breaths before continuing.

"When she was at the door because she heard us yelling, my heart broke for her. She had spent her entire life being afraid when Jake would yell and I remember how scared she would get when she had to see him and I never wanted her to experience that with us. I didn't want her to hear us raising our voices at one another in anger and she did and I felt like shit. To her yelling eventually leads to leaving and I don't want her to ever think that I'm going to leave her or that we're going to split up because I know we love each other too much to let that happen. When we were at build a bear, her wish was that we wouldn't yell and that I would always be her daddy. And that broke my heart. I don't want her to ever be afraid of losing me and I don't want you to ever say anything like that to me again because it makes me think that I could lose her too."

"I'm sorry Fitz. I really am. I never should have said those words because no amount of DNA a person shares them makes them a parent and I learned that the hard way. Please know that our life was incomplete before you came along and we chose you. It was Madison that sat on the bed in New York and asked if you could be her daddy now"

"_When we move into the new house can you be the new daddy, Fence?"_

_Squeezing her tightly to his body, Fitz left kisses on her cheek and forehead, repeating the actions until the lump in his throat cleared. "Yes, baby. I want to be the daddy for sure. And you know what, I'm gonna be the best daddy in the world for you"_

"_Can your name be daddy now?" Her face was pressed against his neck, but she leaned back to look at him before asking that question and he toughened up, making sure not to break down. These were the moments he had been hoping and dreaming of. _

"_You can call me whatever name you want sweet girl"_

"Our little girl chose you from day one and I'm so sorry that I lessened that for you. I didn't mean it and I'll never do it again. I've always only wanted you to be her father and the day the adoption papers were finalized and it was legal was one of the best days of my life. I know that if anything ever happened to me, that our little girl would be taken care of and loved immensely by you. Please forgive me Fitz."

He turned towards her, and brought his hands to her face, using his thumbs to wipe at her constant flow of tears. Fitz hated to see her so upset, but was so grateful to hear those words from her.

"Thank you Livvie. I forgive you and I'm so grateful for our little girl and our son. Thank you for giving them to me."

He kissed her and pulled her into a hug, holding her as close to him as he could with her stomach between them.

"I just want things to go back to being normal between us. I always want us to grow, but I don't want you to feel you need to do anything extra for me."

"Now Fitz, I would like to make a suggestion. I think that it's important for the two of you to go that extra mile for one another. Olivia has made it clear that she has no regrets at all for how quickly things moved for you guys after that first six months, but in my eyes I think that you guys need to examine a few things. One thing I noticed was that you guys have been together coming up on two years in April, is that correct?"

They looked at each other and smiled before nodding. They were now sitting closer with their thighs touching and Fitz's left hand was intertwined with hers, while his right hand unconsciously tapped against her stomach.

"Two years and you've bought a house, gotten married, changed jobs, and not only do you have a four year old that takes up a good amount of time, but you guys are expecting a baby in less than three months. That's a lot of stressful situations, and you've seemed to handle them all well but I think it's time to make sure you're not so focused on being the perfect family, and mother, and father, but focus on being husband, and wife. That looks different with every couple. Maybe for you that means to go on vacation and have time together, or set aside a date night every week that's just time for you two, or start writing letters to one another, it's your choice but I want that to be at the front of your mind. Olivia it was a big step for you to come here and I think that the original twelve sessions we agreed on should work out great. I would like to see you back for our first session next week and Fitz if you're able to join our second one, that would be great."

"I will make sure that I'm here."

Olivia looked at him and smiled in appreciation.

"Then it's settled. Okay Fitz, with the doubt that I felt Olivia was harboring the past few weeks, I made it a point to end our sessions with her sharing something she loved about herself and her life. Today, I'd like for you to share something that you like about Olivia and your life together. And Olivia, I want you to listen."

If Olivia was able to turn bright red, she would have. She'd never been great at taking compliments and although her husband gave them to her often, it was usually something private and not in the company of near strangers, let alone her therapist.

"Livvie, I don't tell you enough how much I appreciate and love your complete respect and trust in me. You've taken care of yourself and Madison for so long in every way, but when I asked you to trust me, you did. You allowed me to lead as a man and had faith in me to take care of the both of you. And I just have to say how proud I am to have you as my wife. I wake up every day knowing how blessed I truly am and I have you to thank for that."

All Olivia could do was lean in and kiss him as tears spilled down her cheeks. She blushed realizing she was yet again being affectionate in front of her therapist and after taking a second to compose herself, they confirmed her next appointment, and big her farewell.

There was a rule that what was discussed in the session, stayed in the session. They held hands and listened to the CD Olivia had put in on the way. Her sessions were at four, and to assure they'd both get there on time, Katherine picked up Madison from school. They knew by the time they'd pick her up, she'd be already in her pajamas, and ready for bed. When they arrived, Fitz had her stay in the car while he ran in to grab Madison. A few minutes later, Jerry opened the front door, and waved Olivia. He moved aside to let Fitz walk pass him carrying a sleeping Madison and her backpack. Knowing he was more than capable, Olivia stayed seated while he opened the back door and strapped her into her car seat, before waving to his dad and driving them home.

When Fitz finally pulled in front of the house, he smiled noticing Scooter sitting at the bay window and knew the second he disappeared that he'd be waiting for them in the laundry room. No one had been home since Fitz had come to let him out on his lunch break, so he knew he'd be craving the attention. He got Madison out of the car and waited for Liv to go ahead of him into the house to greet Scooter.

"I'll get him some food and be there in a second" Olivia said and Fitz nodded and moved towards Madison's bedroom. He removed her sweater and socks before pulling back her comforter and sheets and laid her down. Slipping off his shoes, he climbed onto the bed next to her and a couple seconds later, his wife joined him. They laid together, both marveling their little girl in all her innocence. It was something new they did that didn't happen every night, but tonight for some reason, they gravitated towards her knowing there was no place they'd rather be. Maybe it was them having spent two straight hours together being raw and honest that made them crave this family time together.

"Do you see any of Jake when you look at her?" Olivia whispered.

"Not at all."

"It's okay if you do. I mean, just looks. Do you see any of his features? She has his thick eyebrows and his huge ears" She admitted.

"I think her ears are cute, though." Fitz snickered.

"They are extra cute."

"She got a lot from you Livvie, and for that I'm grateful."

"Me too."

They were quiet for a few minutes before Fitz cleared his throat.

"I do have a question, and it's a genuine question that I don't know the answer to so you can't get mad."

"Is this a black question?"

"No" he said laughing. He always asked his wife things he either didn't understand or wanted clarification on before jumping to his own- usually wrong, however innocent- conclusions. "I wanted to know IF this is normal for little kids, well little girls I mean."

"Is what normal?" she propped her head up on her elbow and waited for him to continue.

"This right here"

Fitz lifted a finger to the side of Madison's relaxed face and ran it across her face, atop of her eye brows and the tiny hairs that connected in between.

"Fitz! Stop it!"

She pushed his hand away and smoothed a hand over Madison's forehead.

"What? I'm being serious! I told you I just don't know so wanted to check."

He turned on his back and laughed at his wife who was giving him a dirty look.

"Baby girl you don't even know it but your daddy is making fun cause you have a slight uni-brow. Shame on him."

"I am not making fun of her I just wanted to know if it was normal and what age would she be able to…. Separate them?" The ending came out as a question and he couldn't help laughing again.

"Shut up Fitz!"

"Well I didn't see you with a uni-brow in your pictures of you as a kid so I'm curious."

"You see how hairy she is, even her back has those fine hairs on it. It's because she's mixed and her combined ethnicities. It's like her abundance of hair on her head, well she's like that with her eye brows too. They're super thick but most kids, especially ones with tons of hair have the uni going on."

"What?" Fitz asked knowing the look she was giving him. She was ready to confess something.

"I've wanted to secretly separate them myself" her hands went to cover her face in embarrassment and Fitz busted out laughing.

"See! I'm not the only one. You've thought about it."

"Yes I have but I would never. She'll be able to get her eyebrows done when she's like fourteen or fifteen or something. I don't know."

Calming his breathing down, Fitz turned back on his side and sighed deeply before leaning over and kissing Madison's forehead.

"She's the most beautiful girl in the world."

"I think so, too."

"You did good, Livvie."

She smiled at him before kissing Madison's cheek one final time and smoothing her hair back.

"Night sweet girl."

Completing his quick nightly routine, Fitz climbed into their bed donning his sweats and long sleeved t-shirt and waited for Liv to come out of the bathroom. It had been a long day, he was drained, and ready to fall asleep after kissing her for a while. When she finally walked out, she had on an ivory thin strap slip that came mid-thigh and her hair a nearly curly fro that she was covering with a satin bonnet.

"Where did you get this from?"

"What are you talking about?" she said standing next to the bed and grabbing the coco butter from the drawer next to her bed.

"That little number you're wearing."

Laughing out loud, she shook her head and climbed on the bed next to him and lifted the slip until it was bunched under her breast.

"This _little number_ you're referring to is what I wore under the dress I had on at church last week. It's a slip, Fitz, not lingerie."

"Well then why the hell are you wearing it?"

"Because it's very comfortable and it feels cool against my skin."

She twisted the top off of the jar and held it towards him with a smirk on her face.

"Get to rubbing, daddy."

Fitz sat up and twisted his wedding band off of his finger before sitting it on the table next to his side of the bed.

"That slip is nothing but a tease and you know it."

She laughed and shook her head as he moved closer to her, and scooped some of the creamy lotion on his hands, and rubbed them together before massaging it into her skin.

"Do the check." Olivia leaned her head back against the pillows, one hand on the bed next to her and the other resting on Fitz's thigh. She was in heaven and craved her nightly rub down. She just knew this Grant baby would be responsible for her first stretch marks, so she made sure her belly was completely lathered in the cream every single night. Fitz's soothing hands would rouse the baby awake, but once he started conversing with him, Olivia would be lulled right to sleep. It was always the perfect way to end her day.

"So next week is when we are going to finish up your nursery, Smudgers. You're gonna love it, I think. I talked your mommy and sister out of giving you a yellow room. It's gonna be decaled up though. I realize how obsessed with decals your mother is and as cute as your room is gonna be I'll apologize in advance."

"I'm not sleep yet, you know? I'm deciding if I like this conversation or if I find it very offensive."

"Sorry babe, just giving my little man a warning." He leaned down and kissed her stomach before continuing to rub in deep circles.

"Did you check yet?"

"I did. No stretch marks to report."

"Yet."

He chuckled at her pessimistic attitude and went back to talking to his unborn son.

"Mommy is worried .." he started.

"I'm not worried" her pointer finger moved from his lap, and poked him in the chest.

"Okay not worried, mommy's concerned you, my big boy are gonna give her stretch marks. Your big sister didn't give her any, but I let her know that you might be the one to give them to her."

"Even if he does, I don't care. I'm gonna have the squishiest mama's boy in the world."

"He will for sure be squishy. That I can't argue with, but he's gonna be a daddy's boy."

"Oh no. You don't get two! You've already taken away my sweet baby girl. This little man is all mine."

"He's gonna be amazing."

"He really is." Olivia stayed quiet for a few minutes feeling the movement of their little boy against her left side. "Are you sure you're happy with his name?"

Olivia had been so set on naming their boy after his father, but Fitz made it clear that although it was the natural thing to do, and he'd be completely honored, he wanted his son to have a piece of the great man his father-in-law was. He only hoped his son could be half the man Elijah Pope was. His father had been more than supportive of their name choice, but Olivia wanted to be sure.

"I'm sure. I am more than happy with his name. Why are you?"

"I love his name. I want to have Louis, our art teacher, come paint his name on the wall. If we're still going with sky blue, with the navy blue accent wall, I want it in white maybe, or sky blue on top of the navy blue. I'm not one hundred percent certain, but I do love his name. My little Fitzgerald Elijah Grant."

* * *

"Daddy, I'm ready."

Fitz stood emptying his bladder Saturday morning and forced himself to ignore the little voice on the other side of the door. Madison knew better than to come into the bathroom- something they had finally been able to drill into her-and Fitz would be done soon enough. He flushed the toilet and moved to wash his hands before opening the door.

"Morning Mads" he scooped her up in his arms, and popped a kiss on her cheek before walking into the kitchen. "Did you sleep okay?"

She nodded her head, smiley widely at him.

"Are we making donies, and mommy's food?"

She had grown accustomed to her donies with Daddy, including making a quick breakfast for her mother before she would wake up.

"Just a little breakfast for mommy. She just wants some eggs and tomatoes."

He sat Madison on the step stool that was at the sink before going to the pantry and getting her miniature apron that read "Daddy's Little Chef." He tied it to her waist and neck before they washed their hands together.

"Okay, I'm gonna get started on Mommy's eggs, you open up the biscuits, okay?"

She nodded and went to grab a roll from the fridge. She had gotten pretty good at opening the can by herself and estimating how big to make the dough balls. Fitz tore off a piece of wax paper and laid it out on the island before moving the stool over for her to use. Fitz watched Madison stick her little tongue out in concentration as she ripped at the red tab. He moved to grab a few eggs out of the fridge and cracked them each open before washing his hands and grabbing a few spices from the cabinet.

"Ugh, Daddy can you pop it open?"

Fitz glanced at Madison before putting the spices back. He then grabbed the tube from her and hit it against the counter before it burst open, leaving the little girl squealing with laughter. Winking at her, Fitz pulled back the sides so it was easier to get the dough out, and moved back to the stove. He sprayed the pan before sitting it on the back burner on low before going to Madison and helping her lump the dough together.

Eight minutes later, Fitz poured the egg mix into the pan and watched them immediately cook in the hot pan. He grabbed the last few donuts out of the grease and brought them over to Madison who was ready with the sugar and cinnamon.

"Remember just a little okay."

She nodded and sprinkled a little sugar before grabbing the cinnamon and putting it on her donuts only while Fitz tended to the eggs. Seeing that they were almost done, he grabbed the shredded cheese from the fridge and sprinkled a healthy amount atop of the eggs, and turned the burner off.

"Alright, let's clean up, Mads."

They cleaned as they went, so Fitz just needed to wipe down the counters and get Madison's hands rewashed. He had learned his lesson from his wife on how her kitchen should look after they were done using it and he had no plans of upsetting her because of it.

"Can I go wake mommy now to eat with us?"

She was always eager to wake her mom up on the weekends. Early in the mornings is when she'd always feel the baby moving and Madison loved it. When she saw her daddy nod 'yes' Madison took off down the hall and into her parents room before climbing on the vacant side of the bed and facing Olivia.

"Mommy, it's time to wake up."

Olivia was already awake. She was semi-conscious when she felt her husband leave his side of the bed and was awakened even more at the noise she heard coming from their kitchen. Her daughters feet against the hard wood floor as she ran down the hall was what had her one-hundred percent awake.

"Mommy is awake already. Morning, Toots." Olivia moved closer towards the middle of the bed, and sat in a seated position, waiting for Madison to scramble her way into her lap. "You say good morning to the baby?"

Olivia said 'baby' on purpose. She and Fitz had taken to have many conversations with the little girl about her baby brother not being a sister. Her teacher, Mrs. Houser had mentioned to them that Madison had been telling her friends she was getting a sister, and they knew they had to start having serious conversations with her. The last thing they wanted was for the baby to get here and Madison have a really hard time adjusting and accepting him because he wasn't a girl. They made sure she was included in as much as they could. She had gone to Olivia's last check up with her, she'd went shopping for the baby, chose decorations and books for his room and with the help of Catherine, she was making her little brother a book all about her that she could read to him once he was here. Even with all they were doing, Madison would have a random meltdown about not having a sister. It had been a little over a week since the last one, but they always treaded carefully.

"Good morning brother"

Olivia released a breath she didn't realize she was holding as her daughter spoke before leaning in to kiss her stomach.

"You wanna feel around for him?"

Madison nodded and started pushing against Olivia's stomach, giggling when she felt tiny kicks against her hand seconds later. She pushed around her stomach for a few minutes as Olivia watched on with a smile. She hadn't felt this content in a while, and she was enjoying it.

"Good morning, beautiful" Fitz greeted walking in the room with a tray of food in his hands.

"Morning handsome"

"I already said good morning to you, daddy!" Madison shouted and Fitz shook his head.

"I know that, I was talking to mommy."

"But you call me beautiful, daddy."

He sat the tray down on Olivia's legs, and could see her completely tune them out and focus on the plate of cheesy eggs in front of her.

"Well who do you think you get all that pretty from?"

She put her finger to her chin in thought before blushing and pointing to her mother.

"Mommy! I get my pretty from mommy."

That's right you do. Alright Mads, can you say grace."

"Wait babe, let's go eat out back."

"You sure? I see the way you're eyeing those eggs." He said teasingly.

"Watch it, Grant." She smirked at him knowing he was just being honest. "I want to devour them, but I don't wanna be upset when a certain little girl gets sugar, and cinnamon, and fruit on my bed spread. Let's just go outside. You guys go ahead, and I'm gonna run to the bathroom."

Fitz nodded and removed the tray from her lap as she left the room and he gestured for Madison to get on his back so they could follow after her. Olivia walked outside, appearing much faster than Fitz had anticipated, and she winked at his shocked, yet impressed impression.

"Alright Mads, can you pray?" Olivia asked this time.

"I don't wanna."

"No, go ahead, and say grace for us."

She shook her head and pouted. Not wanting to get into an argument with his four year old, Fitz began to pray instead.

"_Thank you Lord for this day you've given us. We ask that you continue to bless our family and remind us to grow closer to you each day. Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies. In your name we pray, Amen."_

"I wanna pray, I wanna pray!" Madison suddenly admitted.

Giving her a look, Olivia sighed, forcing a smile onto her face and nodding at Madison to start.

"_Dear Jesus, thanks for the food and let it be for the 'rishment of our body. Amen"_

She smiled proudly toward Fitz just knowing she had nailed her prayer that mimicked his.

What were they going to do with her?

Later that day, Olivia walked into the bedroom after having thrown a load of baby clothes into the washer that they had purchased days ago, and went into the bathroom to empty her full bladder. Seeing the door to the commode was closed, she cringed. Abby had picked up Madison shortly after they'd eaten breakfast for a promised movie date so Olivia knew the door wasn't closed to keep their little one from invading their privacy. The only other time her husband closed the door was when he was taking a shit, and that was something Olivia wanted to keep far away from her.

She went to use the guest bathroom and changed out the washed load of laundry before she went back into her bedroom ten minutes later. To her surprise, Fitz was still locked in the bathroom and it was starting to irk her nerves. What the hell was he doing in there? She sadly knew that her husband had normal bowels and the fact that they'd eaten a normal breakfast that shouldn't have upset his stomach was cause for concern.

"Fitz? Babe, you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'll be out soon."

Shrugging her shoulders in confusion, Olivia sat on the edge of the tub and crossed her arms deciding to wait for him to come out. Something wasn't right and she could feel it. When she heard the lock on the door shift, only then did she realize he even locked the door- something he never did.

"Fitz!" she said the second he stepped foot out of the small room.

"What the hell! Livvie what are you doing?" She had scared the hell out of him. He had no clue she was waiting for him.

"What are you doing..what.. what is that?" she said noticing what looked like a magazine in his hand.

"Nothing. What's wrong?"

He moved quickly out of the bathroom, making sure to keep what he was holding out of her site.

"Fitz" Olivia began following him into the bathroom. "What is that, why won't you show me?"

"Livvie, just stop worrying. It's nothing. Do you still wanna go out for lunch?"

He tucked the papers into his top drawer before turning to look at her, and was shocked at the look on her face. She looked extremely upset and he could see the tears welling in her eyes while her arms were folded over her stomach.

"No. I don't want to go anywhere with you until you tell me what you were looking at. Was that a magazine? Like a playboy? Am I not satisfying you? Is it my weight?" her mind went to every possibility.

"What!?" Fitz's head was spinning and he couldn't understand how him not letting her see a few papers resulted in him jacking off to playboy. "Livvie stop! You have to relax baby, you're jumping to conclusions."

"Relax? You're in the bathroom for more than ten minutes, don't flush when you come out, and you're carrying a magazine! What else am I supposed to think?

She only wanted him to be honest with her.

"Olivia, stop. Look at me!"

When Fitz reached her, he took a hold of face and stilled her movements, forcing her to look at him.

"I have not been jacking off to a playboy magazine. Why in the hell would I do that? Baby, stop thinking any kind of negative way about yourself. You're beautiful and I don't need to look at some fake bimbo's in a magazine. You understand me?"

She nodded and he chuckled lightly before pulling her into a tight hug.

"Then what was it?"

Her voice was low and Fitz knew she wouldn't drop the subject no matter what reassurances he gave her. Releasing her, he moved to his dresser and pulled out the papers he had stuffed in a minute ago, and handed them to her. Olivia opened the folded papers and read the front cover before looking at him with a curious grin.

_Infant Care for Dummies _

"Babe, what is this? A class and seminar?"

He felt his face heat up and he was embarrassed.

"It's just something I saw in our waiting room at work."

Seeing that he was uncomfortable, Olivia grabbed his hand and he followed her as she climbed atop their bed and gestured for him to sit against the headboard before she sat between his legs.

"Okay, so it's from work? How come you were hiding it in the bathroom?"

"Well because I brought it home."

He was being evasive and she wanted him to open up to her about this.

"Babe, talk to me please."

She felt him sigh behind her and bring his hands around her and placed the on the sides of her stomach.

"Things were easy with Mads when I met you. Taking care of her, I mean. It's always been easy. She can go to the bathroom, walk, talk, she can completely communicate with us. She can basically bathe herself and tell us when she's hurting or hungry or just needs a hug, and it's easy."

"I agree, things with Madison can be easy." She knew where he was going with this, but wanted to let him speak freely now that he was being so open.

"It's not like that with a baby. I've never held a newborn, Livvie. I mean mostly all of my patients are two or older because we have John and Kate who specialize in infant care so I've never had to do much with them besides rotations during med school and I didn't need to hold them. I didn't have to care for them on a daily basis and feed them and bathe them or anything. I know nothing about babies and that's really not good because I'm about to have one in just a few weeks."

Olivia let his words sink in and waited to respond. She waited, feeling him take in a few deep breaths and release them slowly, and then spoke in what she hoped was a comforting tone.

"What I'm most excited about with this baby finally coming is seeing you with him. I know you're going to be such a great daddy to him, and you're going to be able to do it all. I'll be right with you the whole time."

"But it's.."

"No buts. I was in the same boat but with even less experience with Madison, but you know the best thing about it? Babies aren't as fragile as most people think. They're brilliant little people and they let you know, most of the time, what they need. Every possible instinct you have will kick in and you will do everything in your power to care for them and make sure they're happy. That's all he'll ask of you. You're gonna love him unconditionally and that's what matters."

"I understand what you're saying but I still am scared. What if I drop him, or don't hold his head right or forget to feed him and the bath water is too hot and I forget to check it and it burns him? What if he gets a cold, Livvie? I'm a doctor but that would scare the hell out of me. And if they haven't had their six week shots, they have to be admitted straight away. "He took a pause and leaned closer to her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "It's just a lot that I've been thinking of lately."

"Is there a class starting soon that you want to look into taking?" She never considered taking a baby class but if this was something that he wanted, she would do it without question.

"One starts tomorrow and there are still spots open. It's a three part class. I really do want to try it."

"Then lets sign up." She responded turning to look him in the eyes.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm positive. Let's do it. Does it list other classes?"

"A couple."

"What about lamaze class?"

"You want to take a Lamaze class?" he asked surprised.

"Yea! It would be good to prepare us both for the birth. I didn't with Madison and I had an epidural, and I know our birthing plan is the same but I've been thinking of maybe doing it naturally. I don't really know but my doctor recommended a class anyway, so I say we do it. Better late than never, right?"

"Right" he chuckled agreeing. "Let's sign up for both classes.

* * *

**Sooooo, I decided to cut this chapter in half, but you will get the next update very, very soon because 85% of it is already completed. But I figured I wanted to lessen the chapters just a bit, so I'd start now. Lol. Thanks for reading guys! Let me know your thoughts!**


	20. Chapter 19

**And I'm dreaming of a place  
Where I could see your face  
And I think my brush would take me there  
But only...  
If I were a painter  
And could paint a memory  
I'd climb inside the swirling skies to be with you  
I'd climb inside the skies to be with you**

**Painter Song- Norah Jones**

**This Chapter picks up not too long after the last. Days or so. Enjoy.**

* * *

The first parenting class that they'd gone to was pretty interesting and Fitz was looking forward to the final two. With the Lamaze class only scheduled during the week, their plan was to leave straight after work and head to the birthing center separately. Madison was staying at their after school program with Quinn. Olivia had given the garage opener to their home so she was able to have Madison fed and in bed by the time they'd gotten home. They were using tonight as their date night for the week, and were excited to go out for dinner after their class. Olivia had arrived first and was chatting with a few of the ladies while waiting for the class to start in just a few short minutes. They were being your typical ladies, gossiping a bit about the instructor and how she could be a complete bitch and a bit judge-y but knew what she was talking about.

"Have either of you been through this class with her before?" Olivia asked. They were crowded around a small snack table provided by the center and the moms were obviously grateful.

"I have once." A red headed woman named Natalie responded. "With our first, we came to her class and she's such a bitch at times, but I'm telling you I couldn't have gotten through squeezing my big headed daughter out of me without the techniques she taught us. Some people say they don't work and they don't recall them when they're in the middle of it all, so that's why we started out at five months and try to come at least once a week until the birth."

"They let you come that early?" An African American woman named Trina asked skeptically.

"As long as it's not full. They have another instructor on different days and she's sweet as hell so most people fill her class up. Besides, Lisa Woods might be crazy, but she's good and her assistant Josh makes everything worth it. He's probably the sexiest guy I've ever seen."

"So your husband doesn't mind you oogling him while you're spread eagle and practicing breathing techniques?" Olivia sassed, laughing.

"Oh Josh is as gay as they come so Ron doesn't care one bit."

"Gotcha" she smiled and they talked a bit more before a few of them went back to where their husbands were sitting with their pillows and yoga mats.

Going to the area she had set up, Olivia reached into her purse for her phone to see how far Fitz was, when the door opened and she noticed her handsome husband walking inside. His long legs striding towards the check in notebook to see if she was there made her mouth water and she suddenly wished they were alone. She watched him from her position, and could tell that he had spotted her name when a smirk appeared on his face. He turned towards the sea of couples, scanning their faces until his eyes landed on hers.

Olivia's face lit up when their eyes met, and before she could make her way towards him, he gestured with his chin to the opposite end of the room where the sign read "Bathrooms" and she nodded, letting him know she'd be waiting for his return. She loved that he could still give her butterflies. Moving back towards the snack area, Olivia watched as one of the nurses brought out a cart of bottled water and others that noticed walked towards the area to grab a couple before they were all gone. Although you were encouraged to bring your own water, they always made sure to have some just in case.

"Did you see that tall glass of ice, ice cold water that walked in a second ago? I think he went to the bathroom. I mean hot damn. It's like he just stepped out of a magazine or something." Natalie said fanning herself.

"Or at least a shower."Said Trina speaking up. "He walked right past us, and smelled delicious. I swear I've never been with a white man before but I'd make an exception for that one."

Olivia could feel two things immediately happening. One, her fists were clenching just a bit at the woman making comments about her husband as if he were a piece of meat, and the second was her face heating up as she inwardly agreed with everything they were saying. She too noticed that he looked freshly showered and he was definitely not in the work clothes he had left out the house in which meant that he was probably puked on by a child and had showered not too long ago. He looked so damn tasty. Olivia felt a jilt of pride knowing that her husband was the one the ladies were going crazy over and she counted down in her head the seconds it would take him to finish up and greet her in front of everyone. He had a way of kissing her in public at times that made her want to rip his clothes off. This was one of those times.

Fitz locked eyes with Olivia and somehow he made his way through everyone without breaking eye contact with her.

"Shit he's coming this way…" Trina said and out of some strange habit, began to fix her hair and smooth her shirt over her extremely large baby bump. "Ugh why am I fixing myself? Ain't like he's coming for me. Olivia, is that your man?"

When Olivia continued smiling and didn't acknowledge them, they knew it had to have been her husband.

"Yea that's her man. Looks like they're making love just by looking at each other." Natalie laughed and gestured for Trina to follow her and gave them some privacy.

Olivia blushed at her words and fought against the hold her husband had on her and looked down at the table and grabbed two water bottles before walking to their area.

"You leaving me high and dry, Livvie?"

His voice was sexy as fuck as his lips were pressed against her ear and his hips pressed against her backside.

"Never" Olivia sat the bottles down before turning around to face him.

"Hi"

"Hi"

She smiled at their familiar greeting and brought her arms around his neck as he moved his own to rest only partially above her ass. There was no way he could hold her without rubbing his hands over her mounds.

"It's like he knows you're here or something" Olivia whispered, bringing his hand to her stomach. There was a limb moving back and forth on the right side of her stomach and Fitz smiled at the feeling.

"He started up the second you walked through the door, I swear."

"Is that so?" he asked smiling at her.

"Yes. Maybe it's because you still give me butterflies and make my heart race."

Fitz was done waiting and refused to respond until he got a taste of her sweet, pouty mouth. So that's what he did. He pecked at her bottom lip for a few seconds, one hand keeping her face still and the other moving under her arm and up her back to thread his fingers through her hair. Olivia gripped his bicep with her left hand while her right moved through his curls. Feeling eyes on them, Fitz swept his tongue across the roof and side of her mouth before pecking her top lip once more and pulling away.

"Wow"

That was all Olivia could've said in that moment as she felt moisture pool between her thighs.

"I need to use the restroom." She said breathily.

"Oh really?" he said smiling cockily, knowing exactly why she was going.

"Shut it" she pinched his side before stepping around him and going to the bathroom.

Mid class, Olivia stayed seated until Fitz reached down and helped her stand. When class first started, they went on a mini tour of the hospital, going over the admissions paperwork each set of parents would have to fill out, different policies for visitors, what different protocols for hospitals were and before coming back to the room, they went to visit the nursery. There were looks of joy and fright on the parent's faces, which was normal, and now they were back working on different stretches to help alleviate pain. They did a mini work out which a few of the moms almost refused because they were so far along and didn't feel up to it. After their stretches, the instructor, Lisa nodded to Josh and he went over to a cart before ripping the sheet off and revealing large white things that had everyone confused.

"Alright dads, I need five volunteers"

Whispers could be heard throughout the group as they tried to figure out what they would be agreeing to do.

"Babe, go up there." Olivia said nudging Fitz forward a bit.

"What? Not happening."

Trina and Natalie who were in front and beside her motioned for their husbands to go up as well and received the same response. Olivia rolled her eyes at them seeing that they were in the same boat.

"Fitz, please go up, or else she'll just call on someone and let's face it, everyone here has a crush on you. She'll probably let Josh pick and you saw the way he was eyeing you earlier. You're toast."

She had heard them counting what was on the cart and knew exactly what the volunteers would be doing.

"Livvie, do I have to? If I say no, will you use this against me?"

"Maybe…. Probably…. Definitely" she finally said, smirking.

"Fine"

He raised his hand and walked slowly to the front of the class as Josh clasped his hands and went to pull a few of the guys in front. Finally relenting, Natalie's husband Ron made his way up to the front while Trina's husband, JJ relaxed seeing as there were five men at the front.

"Alright you brave gentlemen, I know that each of you cares for the woman that you came with today and I want to know who, if you could, would be willing to trade places with her even if just for fifteen minutes? Would any of you carry the baby weight around for her and take a walk in her shoes?"

Lisa looked around at mostly all of the men in the room raise their hands and smiled before motioning for Josh to wheel the cart closer.

"Well, you five are our lucky winners for the day. While we have our fifteen minute break, you will be able to take a walk in your lady's shoes. You're going to feel what it's like to carry that precious baby bump around! These are our faux bellies and each of you are going to wear this during our break. Come on up and we'll get you strapped in."

The men groaned silently but tried to put on a brave face as they waited to get the body pillow strapped to them. Fitz walked back towards Olivia with wide eyes as she held one hand to her face, trying her best to not laugh out loud. This was a sight to see and when the teacher let them know to be back at their mats at a certain time, loud laughter could be heard from all corners of the room.

"Not a word, Livvie"

"Oh I can say whatever the heck I want. I've done this twice now and I'm nearly positive you'll have me doing it a third time a few years from now. This is only fair that you get a tiny percentage of what I go through carrying your offspring."

Knowing that he had no comeback to that, Fitz nodded for her to go ahead of him and along with the other four men wearing the bump, he was joked throughout the break until it was time to jump back in and they were able to take it off.

The Lamaze portion of the two-hour class went quickly and before they knew it, Lisa has set up a projector and they were watching "The Miracle Of Life" a film about three different women giving birth. Each couple stayed in their Lamaze positions, with the wives sitting between the husband's legs, some with pillows propping them up, and others simply were leaning into their husband's chest for support. The only sounds in the room had been Lewis's wife going to the bathroom for the fourth time and Natalie and Trina cracking up when Ron almost fainted during the c-section scenes.

As soon as the lights came up, Fitz rose from his lying head first position beside Olivia.

"Wow. That was intense, but it really is a miracle of life. It's nothing I haven't seen before and I can't wait for this little guy to come out." He rambled, placing his hand on her stomach smiling as he felt fluttering as if the baby was placing his hand against his own. "You think we should record the birth? We could set up a camera in the room.. But then again who would we even let watch besides you? Probably not, can you imagine like what happens in movies where kids put in a tape and bam, there's a birthing or sex tape? They'd be scarred for life." He shook his head laughing before suddenly realizing Olivia hadn't responded and was looking to be in an annoyed mood.

"Livvie, what's wrong. Is it the baby? Do you feel sick?" He sat up on his knees, moving his hand to her creased forehead. Fitz knew they were completely over the risks to her pregnancy but she was starting to look so sick and nauseous. "Tell me what's wrong, Baby."

The couples around them waited with baited breath as Olivia had tears forming and suddenly turned angered eyes towards her husband. "Fitz did you see that movie, all that blood all over the baby? Did you hear all that screaming? That did NOT happen with Madison! It's going to hurt like hell having your child. He's already measuring bigger than she did. I….I can't squeeze your big headed son out of my….well…..no, I can't do it! Nu uh!"

"So he's **my** big head son, now." He snickered.

With a sighs of relief all around and a few giggles, Fitz moved so she was back between his legs and rested her weary head against fitted t-shirt.

"I'm going to be right there by your side, Olivia. Yes, it's going to hurt and if I could take that pain from you, Baby, you know I would. But the reward for all your hard work will be this tiny piece of magic, a little bit of me and hopefully a whole hell of a lot of you that we made out of love, together."

"A big piece of magic" she said softly before turning sideways to burrow her head under his chin.

Laughing as well, Fitz rubbed a soothing hand along her abdomen, the baby seeming to follow along inside. "Definitely a big piece of magic. He's going to be incredible, Livvie."

"Yea, he will be." Olivia's hands joined his and she smiled, reassured.

"Okay, now that Olivia is over her labor freak out." Lisa teased. "It happens to at least one person each class, how about we finish up?"

Walking over to the table in the left corner of the class that was covered by hospital screen, she took a stack of diaper bags filled with everything a new parent could need from the box beside the table and started handing each mommy-to-be one.

"As first time parents, having a newborn can be a very disruptive and unsettling experience. We here want to make your transition as easy as possible." She explained after handing out the last bag and returning to the table.

There, she rolled away the screen to reveal a long table with eleven of the cutest babies dressed in brightly colored sleepers resting comfortably in individual car seats. They looked so real. She put back the handle on one of the carriers and carefully removed the newborn sized doll, holding it as if it were a real child.

"This is the Babylove 2400. They can do everything a real baby can including, cry, eat, sleep, poop, wet, gurgle and move. They have a monitoring chip that tells exactly how often and how well their needs are met." She raised the left arm showing the underarm. "There are three buttons, the pink one for when the mommy is caring for the baby for long periods of time, the blue for daddy and yellow when you're both spending taking care of Babylove here. Each daddy will come up and chose a child, Mr. Thomas you get two since your wife is having twins. Please try and chose a doll that stands out from the rest for you because studies show you treat them more like your own child. After everyone has selected one, you'll learn how to hold, feed, change and clean the dolls. You will name your baby and care for them until you return next week. Then we'll check your statistics and see just how ready you are to be parents."

She watched a mixed of curiosity, fear and excitement show on the couple's faces before she placed the baby back in its carrier and clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Ladies please take a feeding station. Step up, gentlemen. Congratulations, you're about to become a daddy!"

Chatter was instantly heard throughout the room as men helped their partners to their feet. Fitz glanced at Olivia almost guiltily for not realizing this was a portion of the class. She had already gone through the whole taking care of a newborn before- with an actual newborn- and he could tell she wasn't really looking forward to it.

"I'm alright, I promise."

"Are you sure? I could ask if it's mandatory to participate"

"Oh it is! Trust me, we tried talking to her before the class started and she wasn't hearing any of it" Natalie said slowly standing up next to them. "Go ahead up there and grab your baby before you get stuck with a redhead. That's usually what's left for some reason but I think it's because those few were the older editions that don't look as real."

There were only six babies left as Fitz stood in the same spot since he made it to the table. His eyes focused on a light brown-skinned baby in a yellow sleeper with big brown eyes, curly brown hair with honey streaks and rosy cheeks. A few men stepped forward and grabbed babies, and now with only two babies left, Fitz saw a man he had chatted briefly with early move towards _his_ baby. He was on his phone and a bit distracted, leaving Fitz ample time to reach her first.

"This one's mine." Fitz blocked him, picking up the carrier and heading for his wife.

"Lisa! Fitz took the last girl and he's having a boy!" He shouted hot on his trail.

By the time Lisa reached the feuding men, Fitz had placed the carrier in his and Olivia's feeding area and was pushing back the handle so the doll could be fed.

Lisa moved closer to Olivia and Fitz and noticed their calm reaction compared to Randy's frustration and knew it would be better to try and ask them first, rather trying to calm Randy down.

"Mr. Grant wouldn't you prefer a boy? The last one on the table has beautiful blue eyes like yours and dark brown curls." She urged but shook his head adamantly as Olivia looked on, trying her best not to laugh. There was no way in hell her husband was giving up their "baby" and she knew his reasoning for picking that particular one.

"No thank you, I like this one. Besides, Randy doesn't even know the sex of his baby yet." He dared looking over his shoulder at the slightly overweight man. He didn't intimidate him at all.

"But Mandy's mama said it's going to be a girl." He whined as his girlfriend frowned at him. She knew if he hadn't been on the phone they would have gotten one that could pass for their child. The last doll looked nothing like either of them but neither did this one.

"She looks just like Mads, Livvie. That's why I chose her." Fitz said emotionally. "Can we call her Cam?" Fitz said hopefully, a full grown smile covering his face.

"Sure Babe. Cam's perfect." His wife wasn't about to argue and his gesture had already made her teary eyed. He wanted this and Olivia wasn't going to deny him. She knew he was more than excited to be having a boy, but apparently Fitzgerald Grant wanted a little girl for at least a week.

After learning the basics; feeding, changing, cleaning and burping, the now activated baby doll, Fitz and Olivia were sent on their merry way with the rest of the students.

* * *

Fitz stood at the kitchen island secretly nursing a glass of wine as Olivia changed clothes and tended to the "baby" in the bedroom. They had only been home a few minutes and while they both alluded to the excitement of alone time that night, the "baby" had a different game plan and Olivia sent Fitz to grab her a bottle of water while she did her best to stop the crying.

"What's taking so …"

She didn't need to finish her sentence as she rounded the corner and caught her husband in the act. They had an agreement and he was violating it.

"Livvie, i… it's not what it.."

He couldn't find the words to say, knowing it was a lie but was soon cut off by her lips crashing into his in an open mouth kiss. Her tongue forced its way into his mouth and she sucked hungrily on his tongue, before pulling away just as fast.

"Drink more." She demanded nodding towards the hall full glass.

Fitz raised his eyebrows in confusion as to what she was doing, before Olivia groaned.

"Babe, it's cheating"

"Drink the damn wine, so I can just taste it! I miss wine so damn much!"

Fitz smirked and took a long gulp, finishing the glass and purposely swishing it around his mouth for a few seconds before plunging his tongue into her mouth and wrapping his arms around her waist. Holding onto her tightly, he walked them down the hall and into the bedroom, just making it in before the loud crying started up again.

"Fitz, wait."

"Babe, ignore it. We can still..."

"That damn thing is gonna interrupt us and you know it."

"So what, it's not like it's real" he blindly removed the baby from her arms using one hand and let it fall to the ground.

"It's real enough! We're gonna show up to class and be the only ones with a horrible score for this damn baby."

"Livvie, just relax and let me take care of you." He brought his hands to her thighs and moved them upwards, ridding her of the slip she had put on only minutes ago. When it was on the floor, Fitz moved his lips up her body, stopping on shortly to leave kisses on her stomach he had lotioned earlier, and finally stopped at her lips. He moved to her side and turned her body so he was spooning her from behind. Olivia whimpered at the feeling of his body pressed so tightly against hers. Feeling his abs against her, Olivia arched her back as she felt her husband lift her leg, immediately allowing her to feel his hard shaft against her skin. He was just so big, and she couldn't wait any longer.

"Baby, put it in" she turned to bring her lips over his, but he pulled away and shook his head.

"Let me take my time with you, baby."

She felt him move down against her body and instantly his member was between her legs, rubbing against her dripping folds.

"Ahh… baby, stop…. Just..go faster."

Reaching down, Fitz pushed his member against her full slit, applying pressure to the entire area before thrusting his hips and sliding against her heat. Olivia brought her hand to his hair and tugged at the curls. Her teeth had a tight grip against her bottom lip and she knew she was almost there. Bringing her leg down, Olivia squeezed his length as tight as she could against her and came loudly.

Gasping for air, Olivia released him before moving her hand to his length, intending on fitting in exactly where she needed him most, but was stopped by him pulling away from her completely. Groaning, she rolled onto her back and was debating on whether she could threaten him with sex, when she felt him move in between her thighs.

"What did I tell you Livvie? I'm gonna take care of you" he didn't wait for her to respond and attached his mouth to her right breast, sucking and nipping at it. He felt her nipple go hard against the back of his tongue, and retracted a bit to take it in his mouth, feasting on the brown bud. He felt her fingernails dig into the skin of his hand and he sucked harder on the nipple until she screamed and thrust her hips higher into his, then he moved to her left breast giving it the same attention. They were so sensitive and he knew if she wanted to, he could make her come just from pleasuring them.

"I can't… Fitz, please" She could only see the top of his hair that was curling even more from the sweat he was working up.

"You can cum soon enough, Livvie" he kissed the crevice between her breast, noticing how heavy she was now breathing.

"You okay like this?" he said wanting to make sure she was I no pain from being flat on her back. She nodded and was touched at the restraint he showed before he continued his ministrations on her body.

Moving lower, Fitz pushed her legs even further apart, and took one long lick up her pussy. He felt her hands against his head pushing him away, but that didn't deter him and he continued the pattern, being sure to focus on her bud and seconds later, his face was washed with her essence. Her hands pushed his head further into her, while her thighs held him tightly in place, her toes curling. When he felt her thighs loosen against him, he peeked up at her and noticed how swollen her lips were due to her own assault on them while trying not to cum so soon. He loved watching her face. Seeing that she was still savoring her orgasm, riding it out till the very end, he dove back in, pushing his tongue as far as he could into her heat, making her scream and arch her back off the bed. Just as she was about to lower herself onto the bed, Fitz removed his tongue, sat up, and thrust his hardness between her slick, trembling folds. He groaned loudly, not believing how wet she was, and took a second to settle in, knowing she needed to adjust to him.

Pulling out some, he moved slowly, allowing her to take more of him in with each forward thrust, loving the way her body welcomed him home. He repeated his actions, hooking one leg high on his arm, and he finally bottomed out and his stomach was pressed against her bump. He knew how extra sensitive she was during her pregnancy and every thrust felt like a high to her. He stayed filling her, swiveling his hips in a circular motion and gently squeezing her thighs. Being sure to stay buried deep inside her, Fitz moved his lips to hers, kissing her quickly before pulling away. He was mindful of her stomach and knew he couldn't rest on it for more than a couple of seconds.

Taking a hold of her hips, he raised her ass higher, feeling her walls close tighter around him, and began to pound into her relentlessly, working his hips into overdrive. His ass tightened with every thrust and he reached down with one hand and played with her clit, causing her to scream out as another orgasm hit. He felt her juices running down his balls, and seconds later, he joined her, spitting his seed deep inside of her. When their panting finally quieted down Olivia and Fitz looked at each other in confusion at the life-like wails that could be heard from the corner of the room.

"Oh shit" Fitz said moving from Olivia and over to the fake car seat that held the baby. "I wonder how long she's been screaming for?"

He noticed Olivia plop back down against the pillows and roll her eyes at the interruption, "oh fuck me" she groaned in annoyance.

Dropping the baby carrier to the ground, Fitz jumped on the bed and immediately hovered over his wife's lazy form before pushing his tongue completely in her mouth. He explored for a few second before pulling out and smirking at her. "Your wish is my command, Livvie. I'm gonna fuck you so good."

* * *

"Please stay"

"Livvie, come on, not only is this not my scene, it's supposed to be YOU that stays, and I'm supposed to disappear."

Her pout grew deeper and she stomped her foot in place before she crossed her arms in front of her stomach and looked up at her husband.

"You're supposed to do what I want you to do! Fitz you're my best friend and you were supposed to warn me about a surprise baby shower! You broke the vow to tell your wife about all surprises."

"Funny, I don't remember that in our vows" he said jokingly before watching her roll her eyes and continuing. "Baby, you've lived with Abby long enough to know that when she threatens you, you listen. I won't mention the physical threats she mentioned, and besides I only knew about it because they decided that my parent's house was too far for everyone they invited, to drive out to. This is supposed to be fun, Livvie. Just go with it."

"I know it's supposed to be fun, but I honestly am not having the best day."

"The best what day?"

He knew her too well. Her pregnancy had ended up being near perfect, but the closer she got to her due date, which was just under three weeks away, the more she had random days of "pregnancy funk." She would get into these moods where she either cried because it was almost over, she pouted about her appearance, or she just wasn't in the mood to be around anyone but him.

"I feel extra fat today."

"Livvie" Fitz said in a warning tone that she knew all too well. He never allowed her to speak negative about any of the weight she had gained during her pregnancy or her new appearance since she'd officially 'popped' last week. He knew she would be going into labor any day now because their last doctor's appointment proved that with her short frame, their little boy had no room left to move around and would probably be there before his due date. Fitz also knew that she was being extra careful since losing her mucus plug just last night and he could imagine that she wasn't feeling the best with the impending labor.

"You don't have to say it, I know I'm not fat, just pregnant and that every ounce of extra weight is worth it, blah, blah, blah. It still doesn't help that I _feel_ fat, Fitz."

He opened his arms and smiled as she dragged her feet, but walked into his embrace and sat on his lap sideways.

"Alight, what's upsetting you today?"

"These are at it again."

She gestured her chin downward to her breast.

"A lot or a little?"

"Just a little, but it's the second shirt I had to change today. It's just annoying, and I wasn't expecting all these people here when I got home. I'm in total nesting mode so I know he's coming soon and they're gonna dirty my house up"

"I know you're definitely nesting, but you know Abby, Mom and I will make sure everything is back to normal when it's over."

"I know and it's my fault anyway. If everything hadn't happened a few months ago, we could've had it when Abby first mentioned it instead of postponing it."

"Livvie, stop. We had other things to deal with and it was not the time for a baby shower. Today is going to be great, and I'll stay for as long as you want me to."

"The whole time?" she said hopefully, working her pout in her favor.

"If that's what it takes, then yes, the whole time."

He patted her thighs before standing her up and getting off the bed to hover over her. Fitz took her face in his hands and kissed her as slowly as he could, not wasting any time inserting his tongue into her mouth. Knowing she fell short of breath quicker as of late, Fitz moved down to her bottom lip and continued until he was at the top of her chest.

"You two be good, okay? No more leaking until Mr. Man arrives." He cupped her breast through her blouse before kissing the exposed flesh there.

"You're crazy."

Fitz smiled as she laughed for the first time that afternoon. He had done his job.

The baby shower was in full swing room and Olivia couldn't lie and say that she wasn't having a great time. There were several colleagues from her school, a few of Fitz's co-workers wives, and a few friends that she and Abby had from school. Rounding out the room, were Abby, Quinn, Fitz's parents, and a two of Catherine's closest girlfriends. Madison had clearly had enough attention from everyone present, and decided to entertain herself and Scooter in her bedroom. Fitz was the only male there and felt completely out of place but would stay until Olivia assured him he could go; something he was certain wouldn't happen. She was almost glued to his side, and even when she would mingle with others, she kept a tight grip on his hand, sometimes squeezing his fingers unexpectedly.

"I'm gonna go check on Mads, I'll be back."

Olivia nodded and reluctantly let go of his hand. When Fitz made his way into Madison's room, her face lit up at the sight of her daddy, and Fitz looked just as excited to see her.

"Hey cutie, are you gonna come out and get some food?"

"It all looks funny, daddy" she said scrunching up her face to show her disgust.

"I know but Auntie Abby and Grammy made some food just for you. Let's go eat."

He didn't wait for her reply and scooped her up in his arms before carrying her out of the room and into the living room full of people. Everyone was finishing up from making their plates before taking a seat while Abby was announcing the next game they would be playing.

"So everyone takes the roll of ribbon and cuts a piece of it off and passes it to the next person to do the same. It can be a long piece or short piece, that's up to you."

"Is this for measuring the belly? Cause if so, I know how much I'll be taking."

"Don't you even dare, Nikki!" Olivia said shifting her gaze to her co-worker Nicole from school.

"I ain't saying nothing!" she threw her hands up in surrender, receiving laughs from her antics as Olivia rolled her eyes in fun.

It was a minute or so later when everyone was done passing the ribbon and continued eating their food, talking amongst themselves.

Olivia and Fitz sat next to each other at the dining room table, while Madison sat on his lap, eating her sandwich and fruit that was cut into different shapes. Catherine came over with a fresh glass of water, and Olivia smiled in thanks as she also cleared away the plate she was no longer eating from.

"Alright, who thinks they have the longest piece of ribbon?"

Abby asked the question and chatter was heard throughout the living room as a few people compared theirs before Fitz raised his hand, declaring that he had the longest piece. He didn't mean for it to happen, but Madison had pulled on the ribbon until he forced her to stop so he could cut a piece off. Madison held on to him when Abby told him to stand up and only when he heard the instructions, did he pop a kiss onto Madison's head before sitting her in his empty seat next to his wife.

"So you're gonna take the ribbon and wrap it around your pinky finger and each time you wrap it around, you have to say something about Olivia."

The female population in the room both laughed and cooed at the instructions, knowing that Fitz had no idea what the game was about, but also knowing that he was about to probably bring them all to tears.

"So I can say just anything about her?" he double checked with Abby.

"Yep, anything you want."

"Well this will be embarrassing, but nothing you all don't already know about my incredible wife."

Taking a deep breath, Fitz straightened out the long piece of ribbon that fell past his waist and turned towards Olivia as he began speaking.

"Olivia Grant is kind"

"She is passionate"

"She is brilliant"

"She is loving"

The ribbon wrapped around his small finger just four times and he could already see the tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"Olivia is beautiful."

"She's an amazing mother to our daughter and son"

"She's a great cook"

"She is great at organizing our lives so we don't go crazy."

"She's my best friend."

"Alright, alright, give us some facts, Fitz." Abby sassed out, forcing Olivia to gasp at her forwardness.

"Ok, okay. Olivia is funny."

"She snorts when she laughs sometimes."

"She is great at surprising people."

"She is not the best at card games."

"Hey! I always win!" Olivia pouted from her chair playfully.

"I _let_ you win" Fitz said chuckling and ducking when she threw a wadded up baby blue napkin at him.

"Olivia is semi-violent when provoked."

"She's very loyal"

"She's.."

"We get it, let's make a deal, I'll cut it so you only have to do a couple more if you give us something better than how awesome she is. We already know that."

Fitz raised his eyebrows at Abby's suggestion and looked to Olivia to see her eyes shift before he agreed. He wasn't embarrassed to lavish his wife with praises, but he was ready to sit down and have all eyes someplace else but on him.

"Okay… Olivia is incredibly sexy."

"And?" Abby pushed as Olivia elbowed her in the side, feeling even more in the spotlight than before.

"And….. we had a hell of a good time making that little guy in there."

"OK, we're done!" Olivia managed to get out while everyone else gave catcalls and whistles.

Fitz laughed loudly before going back towards Olivia and dodged the hand that swatter at him.

"You're such a mess! You are definitely free to go now." She said shoving him away from her.

"You do not have to tell me twice."

He leaned down to kiss her good bye when Madison stood on the chair and reached out grabby hands to him.

"Daddy, can I go with you?"

Fitz grimaced, honestly having planned to have a low-key few hours alone but with the pout Madison wore, he knew he wouldn't be saying 'no'.

"Yes ma'am you can, Go grab your shoes."

She scurried off and Olivia reached up a hand to turn his face towards hers.

"You sure you wanna take her? I know you wanted to relax and get some errands finished."

"Yea, I'm sure." He leaned forward and pecked her lips before removing a piece of hair behind her ear. "It won't be long at all before we're playing man-to-man so I'll give her all the extra attention I can before the big guy comes."

Olivia smiled, loving that he was willing to give up his afternoon of free time when Madison could've stayed at the shower with plenty of people to entertain her. He really was one of a kind.

"I love you. It's only for another couple hours, and then they'll all be gone."

He laughed at her convincing tone.

"I know. I love you too. I'll see you later."

Madison and Fitz bid everyone farewell and left out for the rest of the afternoon as Olivia continued to enjoy one last game before she was lavished with baby clothes and gifts.

A few hours later, as suspected, Abby, Catherine, Quinn and Nicole stayed behind and helped with either cleaning and taking down decorations, and washing and folding the new clothes before putting them up. Fitz and Olivia were already aware that his parents wanted to purchase the crib and changing table set, and it purposely was delivered and set up today for all the gift to sit on. The crib was in the room, but Abby and Nicole brought the changing table in the room before Catherine began washing the new clothes and blankets.

"Oh Quinn, you don't have to wash the dishes, I can just load them in the dishwasher."

"I've got it Liv. The washer is full and there is just a handful left."

Olivia smiled and noticed Scooter's water bowl was near empty, and went to fill it up. After sitting the bowl down, Olivia went to grab the load of clothes from the dryer and walked into the nursery and sat in the glider before starting to fold the tiny baby clothes. Their little boy already had so many clothes in his drawers and he now had fifteen new outfits, lots of onsies that would definitely come in handy during the summer months, hats to keep the sun away, and a good amount of shorts as well. She had been happy to see clothing in other sizes than newborn and already had most of them hanging in the closet, planning on using the drawers for the summer clothes he would be using. All the things her and Fitz had already put away were washed and had been cooed over as they looked through his tiny wardrobe.

"_Babe you have to see all the little shirts Abby got him last week." Olivia pulled out the bag that set at the foot of her bed and dumped out a fifteen onesies in different colors, each with a tie sewn into the shirt._

"_These are pretty cutesy"_

"_Fitz, they're cool!" She couldn't believe he called them cutesy. She knew what he really thought about them if he was calling them 'cutesy'._

"_They're cool, but in a dorky way." He admitted sheepishly._

"_Ugh, whatever. He's wearing them whether you like it or not."_

"_I'm sure he is. Just as long as I'm not the one dressing him."_

"_You're gonna make his godmother feel like crap, you know"_

"_Eh, I'll live." He said laughing. It was a new thing to purposely do things to annoy the redhead, and he loved getting under Abby's skin with their playful banter. _

_He watched as Olivia began turning the shirts inside out with the intent on throwing them in the wash before putting them away in the nursery. Fitz moved to his workbag in the closet and came out with a small bag in his hands. _

"_I got him some shirts too. Some cool shirts that he'd be proud to wear." His smile was smug and Olivia rolled her eyes before snatching the bag out of his hands._

_Pulling out three onesies, Olivia laughed reading the first one. _

'_**I'd Flex, but I like this onsie' with a tiny barbell under it.**_

"_**I drink till I pass out'**_

"_**Mommy's little stud. Daddy's wingman"**_

_Just as Fitz suspected, Olivia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile at the clothes._

"_This is so inappropriate, but somehow I don't care."_

_Fitz laughed before nodding his head and turning them inside out to go in the small pile of clothes for the laundry. _

"_Good. I wanted to get more, but I stopped myself knowing he'll be getting plenty of things from people."_

"_I think we should do matching or coordinating outfits for him and Mads and send out an "I have arrived" type of card to friends and family."_

"_Can't we just text out pictures and put some on your facebook or something?" Fitz asked hesitantly. _

"_Well we're doing a newborn shoot anyway, so we might as well get some of them dressed alike and send it out. Come on babe, we won't be sending out another card until Christmas and he'll be….4, 5, 6..he'll be seven months come Christmas. We can send one out for the summer and put their pictures on it and we can put that Madison is about to start Kindgarden and we will be celebrating our one year anniversary."_

"_I can't believe it's almost been a year since we got married, Livvie."_

_She smiled softly at him as he came to stand in front of her, encircling her waist._

"_I know, it seems just like yesterday I was held up in our bedroom, waiting to see you at the end of the aisle."_

_It's been a good year so far, wouldn't you agree?"_

"_I would agree. I like that it wasn't the perfect first year that most people tell you about and that we had moments that we had to work through. Is that weird to say?"_

"_I don't think so. We've learned early on that there isn't anything we can't work through together and overcome. I couldn't do it without you though."_

"_ Can't even imagine it."_

"Liv?"

Olivia snapped out of her day dream and focused her attention to where the voice was coming from.

"Do you want to lay down at all, Liv?" Catherine's voice was calm as she noticed her daughter-in-law day dreaming while holding a tiny pair of shorts on her lap.

Olivia looked at Catherine and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Mom, what did you say?"

"Honey, you've had a big day. Why don't you lay down for a while until Fitzgerald and Madison get home. We will finish up and Abby can lock up for you."

"Are you sure?"

Her question was immediately followed by a yawn, signaling her tiredness . Olivia normally wasn't one to leave her home to others while she was present, but she couldn't deny that she needed a nap after their exciting afternoon. Before she could even agree to take a nap, Abby appeared at the door.

"We are positive Liv, go lay down."

Agreeing, Olivia stood up from the chair, needing to use the arm for more support than usual, and gave them both hugs along with a kiss on the cheek before leaving the room and saying goodbye to Quinn and Nicole. Retreating back to her room, she stripped off her dress before putting on her usual cool slip. She turned the fan on high before climbing into bed and falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

"Daddy, when the baby comes, is it still gonna be a brother?"

"Yep. Do you remember what his name is gonna be?"

"Like yours, Daddy."

"Yes, his first name is gonna be Fitzgerald like mine, but his middle name is gonna be Elijah, so we are going to call him that."

"Grandpa Pope had the name Elijah, too." She constantly made connections nowadays and Fitz expected them at every corner.

"That's right, his name was Elijah and your baby brother will have my name and your grandpa's name in it."

"That's not fair! I want to have your name too." Her pout was worn proudly and Fitz chuckled inwardly before responding.

"Hey now, you remember when those very special papers came in the mail and me and mommy showed them to you?"

"The ones for the 'doption?"

"A-doption. Yes, those papers. Do you remember what they mean? It means that you're my little girl and I'm your daddy and you now can have my last name. Remember your new last name?"

"Grant! It's Grant like your last name." A smile was back on her face and Fitz wouldn't have it any other way.

"And you have mommy's name as your middle name. You are Madison Olivia Grant and you have a part of each of us in your name."

"Okay. Is my little brother gonna be nice and play with me?"

"Well do you remember when Aunt Sarah came to visit with baby Addy when you played together but we had to remember that she's just a baby and doesn't understand rules yet?"

"Oh yea, she kept pulling my braids and knocking my blocks down."

"But you still loved her and wanted to play with her, right?" He asked and when she nodded, he continued. "That's how it'll be with Elijah except at first he's gonna be really, really small so he can't play. But you're gonna be the person that teaches him how to play and say words, and crawl. You are gonna be such a great big sister, Mads."

Her cheeks held a slight blush to them and she had a serene look on her face before it suddenly turned into a frown.

"I wish Elijah was a sister. Anna had a sister named Elsa!"

Fitz chuckeled and moved to stand in front of the swing he had been pushing her on and brought it to a halt. He bent down to her eye level and placed his hands atop hers around the chains.

"Don't you worry baby girl, Mommy and Daddy will keep having babies until we get you a sister."

"You will?" her hopefully question made his face light up at the thought of having many more children with Olivia.

"Yes. Just don't tell your mommy I said that."

* * *

"How can you NOT know how to do this? You know between the first ultrasound appointment and today, I'm really starting to question your medical degree, babe."

Fitz laughed and looked up from his hunched position at the back of her car and shook his head at his wife. His wife was getting antsy over the last few weeks and she insisted on cleaning the house thoroughly, ordering Fitz and Madison to leave her be. He and Madison had gotten home over an hour ago and found Olivia changing Madison's sheets and swiffer-ing the hallway floors. She was definitely nesting like crazy and he remembered that they hadn't installed the car seat into place. She still had over a week before her due date but they knew he'd be making his appearance any day now.

"I got it in, I just want to make sure it's in there tight enough and it's stable, woman. And then I'm putting the second one in my truck."

"Second one?"

"I didn't get a second car seat, just a second base to have in my car."

"Oh. Did you remember to pack your bag for the hospital like I told you?"

"No, but I will."

"Fitz! You know I could go into full on labor tonight and you still haven't packed a bag? My plug fell out for goodness sakes. Don't even worry about it, I'll go pack you a bag myself."

"Liv" he called after her retreating form as she walked back into the house. "Baby, come here" Fitz turned and scooped Madison up from her position on the ground with her sidewalk chalk, and jogged into the house after Olivia.

He walked into his room to see Olivia pulling out clothes from his drawers and bring them to the bed.

"Do you want shorts or pants to sleep in?"

"Livvie, babe stop. I can do this."

"Well I've already asked you to do it and you haven't. I packed my bag for the hospital and even Madison's for wherever she'll go while we're there. You just had to do your own so I wouldn't have to worry about that."

"I know and I'm sorry." Fitz said not caring if he didn't think it was a big deal. His wife was nesting, semi-moody, and drained; he'd apologize for anything right now. "Let me finish with the bases and I'll come right in and pack. I swear."

"Alright. Thank you. I just want us to both be ready. I'm not sure these are Braxton Hicks anymore, it could be labor and I don't want to take any chances. "

Fitz sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Olivia onto his lap before squeezing her hands.

"I'm sorry, Livvie. You're right I should have gotten things moving sooner because it really could be any day now. Thank you for staying on top of things and making sure we're all ready when our boy gets here."

Olivia smiled at Fitz before chuckling and throwing her head back in laughter. Fitz raised an eyebrow questioning her reason for laughing, but allowed her to continue for a few more seconds before she leaned down and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"I know you're ready for him to come even more than I am. That was so bitchy of me."

"It wasn't"

"Yea it was. I've been extra moody lately and I'm sorry Fitz. Anything kinda sets me off."

"Well, at least you're only that way with me."

"It's cause I know you love me even when I'm being a bitch"

He laughed and kissed her hard on the mouth. Fitz intended it to be short but Olivia had other plans and pushed her tongue into his mouth. He kissed her back eagerly, relishing in her taste and pulled back when he felt two things. Below his left hand, Fitz felt her stomach tighten and grow hard right as hip bottom lip became trapped between her teeth.

"Ahh"

"Liv? You okay? Braxton Hicks?"

"I think so. It felt the same but I don't know."

They both sat still for a few additional minutes before Olivia let out a long breath.

"I'm okay."

"You sure, that seemed real?"

"They're all real, Fitz, but I think it's just a false alarm."

Fitz stared at her for a few seconds before nodding and lifting her from his lap. He turned to her with a watchful eye before walking out of the room and returning moments later with a black duffel bag.

"I have a feeling I'm going to be needing this tonight."

* * *

**Don't worry with it ending there- next chapter will be up THIS WEEK**


	21. Chapter 20

**I love you a bushel and a peck  
A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck  
A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap  
A barrel and a heap and I'm talkin' in my sleep**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and will review. A review allows the author to know what you actually think of the chapter, what certain parts stood out, what you liked and didn't like, and tells the author how to continue to write the story you like. Thanks so much for reading guys. You've been waiting for this.**

* * *

The weather outside was what some would describe as perfect. There was a nice breeze to go along with the 81 degree day; the sun was bright, but clouds were present leaving your eyes relaxed instead of in a constant squinting strain. The breeze welcomed patrons walking around with colorful sandals, skirts, and pretty blouses dressed up with summer scarves. It definitely didn't feel like summer, rather it felt like a beautiful April day. Definitely late spring, early autumn type of weather. Either way, the people across North Carolina were please with the weather.

Olivia was wide awake staring outside the window on that very beautiful morning. She immediately wanted the blinds in the room opened and only wished she could have the windows open to feel the warm breeze. It wasn't possible though as it was against policy. She craved the fresh air that was outside and couldn't wait to inhale it. She'd be able to tomorrow if all went well.

The door to her left opened and Olivia smiled as her morning nurse came in smiling in her direction.

"Good morning Mrs. Grant" came her normal greeting. Lauren looked after her the night before and Olivia was grateful for the familiar face. "How's our favorite baby-hog doing this morning? Did the little guy eat yet? I heard he gave you two a hard time last night"

Olivia smiled at her genuine concern. She really did enjoy having her back this morning. "I think he was really gassy and had a stomach ache. He ate pretty well, but refused to burp, so he fussed a lot for sure. As for this morning, he ate on both sides and we got two good burps on each side. He's doing a lot better than last night for sure_"_

"Well, at least we know someone's blood pressure isn't as high this morning" she cracked a smile at Olivia, poking fun of her husband.

Fitzgerald Grant, her amazing husband had been a near embarrassment at times during their two day stays in the hospital so far. His actions started off as endearing, but soon turned a bit much.

* * *

_When their baby boy came into the world, Fitz was by Olivia's side as she squeezed his hand as hard as she could manage. He watched his boys' head crown, the maneuvering of his shoulders, and finally him fully come into their world; all eight pounds, eleven ounces of him. Fitz couldn't control the tears slipping down his face, and didn't want to. This was such a monumental day in his life- the day his baby son was born. He kissed Olivia hard on the mouth, then softly. His emotions were all over the place, and he could tell that Olivia's were as well. He'd cut the umbilical cord and they suctioned out his tiny mouth and nose before he watched them lay the baby against his wife, and began coaxing his son to latch onto her breast. Fitz waited patiently, softy touching his little boy's fresh fingers as the nurse coached Olivia and steadied his head._

"_That's my boy" Fitz cheered seeing his son firmly latch on, making Olivia laugh. Tears rolled down her face at the new bond already forming between herself and their son. "He's so perfect Livvie, and so tiny" He was in awe._

_It was another ten minutes before the nurse instructed Olivia on breaking his grip and burping her newborn for the first time. Another twenty minutes after that, their boy was taken to get his first bath in the corner of the room and finger printed while Olivia delivered the remains and was checked over. Once he was cleaned and an ID bracelet was secured around his ankle, they took the baby to the nursery for quick test while Olivia was moved into the Mother-Baby Unit on the other side of the wing. _

_After helping Olivia get situated in bed, Fitz stepped out to let his family in the waiting area know that their son was born and both him and Olivia were doing great. When he first spotted his family, Fitz felt an overwhelming urge to hug his father. He didn't know why, but he assumed it came from an understanding he had of loving a son to carry his last name. He hugged his mother next, then Abby before showing them a few pictures he had snapped on his phone of his new son and Olivia. There were only about two pictures he showed them since most of them were of Olivia nursing. _

_They didn't make a fuss when he excused himself, anxious to get back to Olivia's new room. They both were pretty adamant about not having any visitors in their room until later that day, but that was when they thought they'd give birth during normal business hours. However, their little man had other plans, and although they were able to stay in the waiting room, visiting hours were over so the anxious grandparents and aunt had to wait until morning to meet the newest Grant. Regardless of anything, Olivia wanted to recover, freshen herself up and also have some alone time with just her husband and baby before anyone else visited. They definitely wanted Madison to be the first one to meet her little brother, and were okay with letting her come in with either her grandparents or Abby tomorrow. Fitz's parents were so excited that he was healthy and that Olivia was doing well that they didn't mind waiting till morning at all. Olivia and Fitz had gotten to the hospital just after one a.m. so they had been surprised that they had made the trip out to wait for the birth. They wanted to be there for moral support no matter what and would wait as long as it took to get a peek at their first grandson._

_Olivia was on the phone with Harrison when he returned, filling him in on their new addition. She'd also sent a text to Quinn letting her know that the baby had come and that someone would be picking Madison up in the morning and that they'd see her later in the evening._

_Fitz carried a fresh vase of flowers over to the window sill as well as the hospital bag on his right shoulder and set them down before walking over to Olivia._

"_You did so great baby" he leaned on the bed next to her, careful not to lean on her too much and kissed her forehead. _

"_Thank you, we both did great. I couldn't have done it without you."_

"_You were a beast, Livvie. You gave me such a beautiful son."_

"_He's so perfect. I wish they'd hurry up. I know that it was a part of the birth plan and their policy, but I really hate that you haven't been able to hold him yet. I want him to meet his daddy" she gripped his hand tightly and brought it to her lips before resting it against her cheek._

"_I know. I'm getting anxious for him to get back now. They're taking forever with him, it's like torture. Hey, you want me to order you some food now that you can eat? You should probably eat something soon before your next feeding, which by the way, you rocked."_

"_That was a surprise. I know each baby is different but he must take after his father in that department. Madison didn't catch on so easily."_

"_Like I said, that's my boy." He said chuckling and smoothing her wavy hair back. "You both did such a great job, I'm so proud of you" _

_He really was. They'd read horror stories of nursing gone bad and all the possible outcomes that were negative, but their boy had taken right to it, and Olivia did great as well. Fitz felt so blessed already. It was just a second later when the nurse walked in pushing the clear bassinette alongside her. "Alright dad, you ready to hold your boy? He's wide awake for you!"_

_Fitz just nodded his head and allowed her to bring the baby to him. He stayed in his spot by Olivia wanting to be as close to her as possible when he met his son. He didn't have a verbal reason as to why, it just seemed to feel right. When the tightly wrapped infant was placed in his arms, Fitz was all smiles at his wide-eyed son looking around. He brought him closer to his face and kissed his soft cheek._

"_Hey buddy, I'm your daddy" he smiled at Olivia who wore a smile as bright as his was, unshed tears coating her eyes. "His eyes are like a blue-ish grey, look Livvie. But they could change right? That's what the book said?"_

"_Yea, they could change, but maybe this one is gonna take after his handsome daddy in that department." she shifted away from the two of them. Olivia pulled her hair into an elastic band, getting the loose waves out of her face. "Here, lay him down for a second" She could tell he hesitated, but listened to her anyway. _

_Fitz smiled as Olivia eased the swaddling blanket from around his tiny body. He really was so little. He was a over a pound bigger than Madison, but Fitz still saw him as being the most lovable, tiniest human being. First gesturing for him to bring over the bag, Olivia began digging through it and grabbed the small onesie that lay on top along with some tiny socks. _

"_You wanna do the honors daddy? Think he could use a change too" Her nose crinkled in the cute way that it did as she looked to her husband with hopeful eyes. She really did want him to change their little guys' first diaper. She figured he'd been changed in the nursery by one of the nurses, but wanted Fitz to really do the honors with their son._

"_Yea of course, as long as you walk me through this. Come here big guy" _

_Slowly, and gently, he slid one large hand under his head, keeping his neck supported and the other under his back and bottom before bringing him to his chest. He reveled in the tiny weight on his chest, and instantly fell in love with carrying his son. He'd been holding him for all of 3 seconds, yet everything seemed so perfect to him. Nothing could stop him from leaning down to inhale his sweet, baby scent and he pushed a gentle kiss to his head. When Olivia was done laying the blanket flat on the bed in front of her, he laid him back down and started to unsnap his clothes. _

"_Just in case he's got your sense of humor, you should put the fresh diaper under him, and then work on un-strapping that one. But be quick cause he could start going at any second" she snickered as she watched him taking care of their son. Yes, it was only a diaper change, one that wasn't even complete, but Olivia was infatuated just watching them together. "Make sure you fold the top down under his umbilical cord."_

"_Yea" he was concentrating and looked completely adorable to Olivia. "I'm assuming they'll be getting him soon so he can get snipped. Don't worry buddy, I promise you'll thank me in the future" She smacked his arm playfully before rubbing a finger up and down the baby's leg. "Alright Livvie, you gotta help me on this one" Fitz said when it was time to dress him. They both worked together and successfully changed his clothes. It was a simple dark green and white striped onsie that read "Handsome like Daddy" on the front with two basketballs underneath the words. _

"_Was Madison this light?" he asked staring at his son's beautiful skin. He was much lighter than he expected him to be. He remembered looking at the picture of Madison after she was born and she hadn't looked that light-skinned, but maybe it was just the pictures. _

"_Light, but maybe not as light. I could tell what her complexion would be by looking at her ears."_

"_Really? Her ears?"_

"_Yea, it's …. I don't know where it came from but to know how dark a baby will get, you look at the tips of their ears."_

"_Well…" Fitz started before light fingering the sleeping baby's tiny ears. "They look the same color as the rest of his body to me" he started, chuckling, "But maybe he will be taking after his sister." The smile on his face was contagious and Olivia smiled just as brightly back at him. Fitz leaned forward and kissed her mouth quickly before turning his attention back to their son._

"_He's so soft Livvie. I know his skin is really sensitive, I mean the book went on and on about it, but it's okay to kiss his face right? Did you do that with Mads?" It might have sounded stupid to some that he'd check before kissing his own son, but he wouldn't take any chances. This bundle of his was special indeed and would only be handled with the best care. Maybe he should wash his face first?_

"_Yes, his skin is sensitive, but he's all ours babe. If you don't smother his little face and lips with kisses, I know I will" Tears filled Olivia's eyes instantly, watching him do exactly what she'd said. His little fist came up towards his face and his eyes squinted at the sudden kisses. Olivia leaned over as far as she could to join in and give her little guy some smooches of her own._

"_Alright," she let out a small groan sitting back up. She was tired. "I know it's late but I wonder if they'll bring in the paperwork tonight. I really want to fill out his birth certificate. I want to be able to officially have him named." Fitz nodded his head, agreeing before sitting on the bed and cradling the baby in front of them so they could both see him. Olivia smiled, and removed the tiny cap from his head and ran her hand gently over his dark head of hair. There weren't present curls yet, but his head was coated with dark waves matching his sister's hair at birth._

"_Fitzgerald Elijah Grant" His chest grew with pride knowing he had a son to carry on his last name. A son with his Livvie, no less. Out of the blue, Fitz leaned over grabbed her chin and puller her close for an open mouth kiss. He knew they wouldn't be able to do anything really intimate for weeks, but he wouldn't be able to stop kissing her if he tried._

_Olivia wasn't too surprised with the way her husband was kissing her. She knew he understood the kind of attention she wanted from him. She'd been giving him what he called "hungry eyes" the second she saw him hold their son. It was the sexiest thing she had ever seen and it was completely new to her. Olivia thought seeing Fitz with Madison made her heart race but this was different. She couldn't have imagined how seeing her man with their son could be such a turn on. Pecking his lips one more time, Olivia pulled away and reached for Elijah, pulling him up on her shoulder. His little breaths tickling her neck made her smile and kiss at his perfect lips. "I love both my guys"_

* * *

From the moment they took Elijah back to be circumcised the next morning, Fitz had driven the staff crazy. He questioned the doctor about how long it would take, the pain that his boy would feel, if they could hold off another day, if he'd be brought back to them right away, would someone hold him and comfort him when he cried, and tons more. He'd seen how they were done and knew the babies usually weren't extremely catered to since they'd "forget the pain quickly" but he wanted more for his son. Fitz also wanted to go down and take pictures of his son, constantly asking the nurses to let him in the nursery "just one last time". Olivia didn't know of his constant bothering until Lauren informed her of the crush her fellow co-workers no longer had on Fitz Grant.

She'd referred to her husband as a "handful" and with the way he had acted the past few hours, Olivia could only agree.

"Lauren, if it isn't too much to ask, could you bring him in? He ate at about five-thirty, and I was exhausted so I let him go to the nursery. I'd love to have him back, especially before grumpy wakes up"

Winking at her patient, she quietly left the room, and made it back within five minutes pushing a sleeping Elijah into the room. "I'll change his diaper and dressing before I leave you to it"

When Nurse Lauren started to un-swaddle the baby, he began letting out tiny whimpers, his face creating the saddest pout Olivia had ever witnessed.

"Is it bad that, that might be my most favorite face he's made?" Olivia leaned over and cuddled next to his ear whispering comforting words, hoping to calm him.

"Nope, baby pouts are by far the best for moms, it's those guys who can't take them" she gestured to Fitz, who somehow didn't seem to be in such a deep sleep anymore.

Olivia frowned at the blood she saw on the gauze being removed from her boys diaper but listened as Lauren told her it wasn't much at all and not to worry. Olivia personally hated everything about the process her boy had to go through, but knew it had to be done. Even if she had doubts, her husband had thrown out a "non-negotiable" on her and she knew it would happen. The problem was that she knew exactly what it entailed just like Fitz, so he couldn't sugar coat anything. Olivia shook the thoughts from her head when the shrill cry pierced her ears, causing her husband to jerk awake muttering, "Lijah...buddy it's ok" he sat up rubbing his eyes, still muttering their sons name while waking himself up.

When Fitz looked up at the nurse in the room, he decided to freshen up first before acknowledging her. Stretching his limbs, he gave his wife shoulder a quick squeeze before going for the bathroom. While doing his business he could hear his son cries and it broke his heart. He returned minutes later looking more alert and went to wash his hands and brush his teeth before turning his attention to his family. Fitz first noticed that their nurse was gone and smiled when he saw his wife sitting up in bed with their son cradled on a boppy and feeding from her breast.

"Morning baby" he went to Olivia's side, kissing her awaiting lips that were turned upward towards him. He noticed that ever since she had given birth, his hands no longer went to his wife's middle when he kissed her, but automatically made their way to his son's soft head if he was near her- which he usually was. Once they broke apart, he leaned down to give his son just as much affection, kissing his cheek and head. "Morning handsome. You're doing so good eating buddy. Were the ladies nice to you this morning?" he talked softly by his ear, smirking at his wife when she bit nervously on her bottom lip. He'd definitely known his wife sent their boy to the nursery after feeding him earlier. He'd awakened several times the night before like clockwork just to check and be sure his son was still breathing, so when the same thing happened this morning, he quietly snuck out to see his son asleep with about eight other babies in the nursery. Of course he'd coerced a nurse into letting him give his son "early morning kisses" and she obliged as soon as the smirk was thrown her way.

He knew what worked with these nurses here, and would use it to his advantage as long as he could.

"I had to get some sleep babe." Olivia gave an excuse that she knew her husband didn't need. He wanted her to get as much rest as possible before going home, and would support any decision she made with their baby.

"I'm just messing with you baby, I think it's smart to use them while we can" he sifted through his overnight bag, pulling out a gray Nike shirt before throwing on a new pair of basketball shorts, declaring himself changed and ready for the day.

Olivia sat contently feeding her son while Fitz checked his phone, answering texts and emails.

"Mom said they just got up. They're gonna get some breakfast, and will be on the way to pick up Madison from Quinn. They should be here in an hour or so.

Olivia smiled and nodded before she surprisingly felt tears fill her eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong? Is he hurting you? Are you cramping?"

She shook her head and used the hand that wasn't cradling Elijah's head and swiped at the few tears that had escaped her eyes.

"I just want her to be okay with him. She's still so wishy-washy and whining about a sister. It'll break my heart if she's upset about actually seeing a brother."

"Livvie, don't worry about that. Madison is going to love him and even if she doesn't take to him right away, she's going to love him once he's home with us. This isn't something I want you to focus on, okay?"

Olivia nodded and tried to think positively. She was excited that Madison would soon meet her brother and The Grants their grandson.

"Livvie, Cyrus wants to know if he can come and visit before dinner?"

"That should be fine, but can we wait on the time? I don't know how long your parents are gonna be up here with Mads, and Abby and Quinn are definitely coming as well."

"True. I'll tell him we'll play it by ear. Might be better to wait to we're home."

Fitz waited patiently watching as Olivia placed the baby onto her lap, leaning him against her hand to burp him. His girl was a damn pro. He smiled at her when she caught him staring and immediately blushed.

In Fitz's mind, Olivia was even sexier as a mother and he shook his head for a second, not wanting to get into what seeing her breastfeed their son did to him.

"What do you want for breakfast, baby? Did you see what they have on the menu? Or I can get mom to bring you something up?"

"I didn't look at their breakfast menu. I need to eat something that won't upset his stomach after he's nursed. The lactation specialist said to be careful of a lot of different foods- spicy, lots of sauces, and even dairy." she'd gotten a small burp and lifted the infant to her face, kissing him softly "I don't want him to have a stomach ache."

Fitz turned his attention from Olivia and picked up their room phone and placed their breakfast order. He ordered what he wanted- the southwest omelet with homemade potatoes and juice- and for Olivia he read off what her finger pointed to on the menu- toast, two boiled eggs and turkey bacon. The woman on the other end let him know it would be to them within the half hour and Fitz thanked them before hanging up. He turned back to Olivia and told her to look up before he snapped a few pictures.

"Honey can you hand me the bag the nurse brought in, then take him and burp him. I need to go to the bathroom and try to freshen up just a little."

"Yea." Fitz's voice was a little unsure but he would do it regardless. He grabbed the bag and peeked inside wondering what she could want and was confused at the netted… something inside.

"What is this, Livvie?"

"Oh, this is the other side of having a baby they don't mention. The part where mesh panties are the sexiest things you'll see me in for a couple of days." She winked at him while carefully handing Elijah over. Olivia stilled for a moment and watched Fitz lift the baby to his shoulder before glancing back at her with a look of uncertainty.

"I need a few more lessons on holding him the other way on my lap like you did. Will he still burp fine on my shoulder?"

"Yea, he will. Give him a few good rubs too. Kind of circular but also like you're pushing the burp up. He should burp right away though. He seems to take after you in that way."

Fitz chuckled lightly and watched her slowly walk into the bathroom where she stayed nearly fifteen minutes. He wasn't sure if she was up for taking a quick shower, but when he heard the water start he figured that was a good sign and worked on getting his son to burp. When she was finished, she poked her head out and asked him to pass her duffel bag to her. He went to the door and passed her a few things before taking the bag back and sitting it in the corner of the room. She was out and dressed- looking completely refreshed and rejuvenated when their breakfast arrived. Knowing he couldn't do both, Fitz, with the help of Olivia, made sure Elijah was swaddled just right before lying him in the cot next to them. They enjoyed their breakfast together and watched tv, the both of them sending out texts at random letting people know that Elijah had arrived. They only shared his pictured with a few people and actually denied most requests of coming to visit the following day. It was only Sunday morning so they wouldn't be leaving until either late Monday or early Tuesday morning. They were both hoping to be released Monday but they knew it wasn't really up to them.

The second Fitz's phone went off, he knew exactly who it was and the smile on his face said it all.

Their girl was here.

He placed their used dishes back on the tray and moved it to the sink area near the door. Olivia reminded Fitz to grab the boppy pillow so it was close by for when Madison would hold the baby, and she smiled when their eyes connected at the soft knock on the door.

Fitz went to open the door and saw his mother with his father behind her holding Madison. He pulled Catherine in for a hug before letting her walk into the room. She was holding blue helium balloons along with a take-out bag from Panera Bread. Sitting the things down, she moved to the sink where she washed her hands immediately, then walked towards a smiling Olivia. Fitz gave his father a hug as well before taking Madison out of his arms and hugging her tightly.

"Hi Daddy!"

"Hi baby. How are you? Did you have fun at Ms. Quinn's house?"

Fitz was sure to talk to her for a second before rushing her into the room where Olivia and Elijah were visible. His parents had walked in and he could hear them softly talking.

Madison nodded her head at her father's questions, and leaned to the left, almost out of his arms, clearly stating she knew what she was here for. She wanted to see her mother and the baby.

"I wanna see Mommy."

"Alright, but you need to be very careful, okay? The baby is out of mommy's tummy, so it's a little sore and hurts, so be gentle, okay?"

She nodded, refusing to look in his direction and her face lit up when she saw Olivia sitting up and smiling brightly, her attention all on Madison. Fitz watched as his parents backed away from Olivia after kissing her cheek and allowed him space to come over with Madison. She hadn't noticed the small clear bassinette that held her brother in it because her focus was completely on her mother.

"Hi sweet girl, come here." Fitz sat her next to Olivia on the bed and watched as Madison leaned up on her knees to kiss her mother's lips before she laid her head on her chest.

"Your tummy is little now, mommy."

Olivia laughed as Madison spoke while softly poking at the small pouch that was still there.

"Yep, it shrank down since your brother came out of my tummy." Olivia treaded carefully, not wanting to rush her into anything, and waited for her to ask to see him.

"Where is he at?"

Fitz walked over and sat on the side of the bed before moving the bassinette closer and poking Madison in the stomach.

"Look Mads."

Turning from her mother, Madison moved onto Fitz's lap and got on her knees to peer over get a good look at the sleeping baby. Olivia and Fitz both were holding their breath as she took him in silently and they wondered what could have been going on in her mind. She reached down and touched his little nose before bringing her hand back just as quickly when she noticed his tiny mouth twitch. She moved herself back and with Fitz's help, climbed off his lap before running over to Jerry and forcing herself into his lap. She didn't speak a word and simply reached for the balloons and started pulling at them as if nothing new had transpired.

Fitz looked at Olivia and noticed the tears filling her eyes before she closed her eyes willing them not to fall. When her eyes opened, she sent Fitz a half smile before turning her attention towards her in-laws who looked on with empathy.

"Grammy, do you wanna hold your first grandson?" Olivia asked, wanting to change the mood of the room.

She nodded eagerly before Fitz stood up and lifted Elijah into his arms, giving him a few kisses the moment he had him near his face. Grabbing a receiving blanket, he walked around the bed towards his parents and waited for his mother to take the blanket and laid it across her chest before handing the baby over to her awaiting arms.

"Oh this little mister is just beautiful guys. You did good son." she spoke to Fitz and looked up at him to see his eyes filling with tears as he nodded his head. He was still a mess and wondered when this feeling of pride and joy would wear off or if it ever would. Surely he wouldn't be brought to tears every time someone mentioned his boy.

"Hey now, go wash your hands, then you can touch him!" Catherine admonished her husband and Olivia was grateful for it. She knew her mother in law was very cautious over things like that just as she was and appreciated the care she knew her little boy would receive from his grandmother.

When Jerry sat back down, eager to hold his grandson, Madison took that as her opportunity to be back in her mother's arms. While Fitz used his mother's phone to take pictures of them with Elijah, Madison climbed in the bed and cuddled closely to Olivia's side. Olivia smiled and leaned down to kiss her little girl's head and stroked her curls away from her face for a few moments.

"I missed you Toots."

"I missed you too, Mommy"

"Did you see your brother? What do you think about him?"

She shrugged her shoulders and Olivia looked up at Fitz willing him to look her way and seconds later- as if he had felt her silently calling him- he did and moved to sit next to them. Not wanting to force her to talk about it- fearing that it could make things worse- Fitz leaned forward and grabbed a hold of her hand to get her attention.

"When you got to Ms. Quinn's house, were you awake or were you asleep?"

"I woke up."

"Were you okay?"

She nodded her head, but the way she burrowed further into Olivia's side, they knew she wasn't okay. Usually Madison only went to stay the night at her grandparents or Abby's on short notice and she would be fine because she was so used to staying over. Even so, they didn't let it happen too often and always liked to make sure she was prepared to sleep someplace other than her own house. Taking her to Quinn's house while she was practically asleep wasn't the best solution but it was all they could do in the little time they had. Olivia's contractions had picked up so fast, and Fitz made the executive decision to not wait for someone to come to the house, but to drop her off and keep moving to the hospital. His decision was a good one because in just forty-five short minutes, Elijah made his appearance.

"Can you come home today with me?"

"No baby, me and Elijah have to stay here just a couple more days so the doctors can make sure we don't get sick at all, then daddy will bring us home."

Before Madison could respond, there was a knock on the door and their nurse walked in carrying a few things with her.

"Is that a shot? Do I have to get a shot?"

Madison's eyes were big thinking the needle she immediately spotted was for her.

"Hi little lady! Now this isn't for you, this is for your baby brother! Olivia she is gorgeous!"

Olivia had shown her a picture of the little girl earlier but the picture did no justice.

"Is this grandma and grandpa?"

"Yes it is." Catherine spoke for the both of them, handing the baby to the nurse when she moved closer to them.

"Alright, I just need to Mr. Grant here a little shot. It's gonna be in his thigh. Olivia, do you want to try and nurse him for a minute first before I do it, or hold him or I can lay him down and do it? It's up to you."

Thinking for a split second, Olivia looked at Fitz not wanting to say out loud that she preferred to nurse him, but not while his parents were in the room. Catherine would be fine in due time but for now it was still so new and until she could get her covert groove back, she preferred privacy. It wasn't the biggest deal and Fitz understood, but she knew he'd bring it up later when Abby eventually came up and Olivia wouldn't have a problem.

"Liv, we're gonna give you a second to get yourself situated and be back. You guys want anything from the cafeteria? Madison, you gonna come get a snack with us?"

Her frown said it all, and Catherine put her hands up in surrender and moved towards the door with Jerry behind her promising to return shortly. Olivia sat up a little more in bed, and lifted her arms as Fitz brought the boppy over and sat it on her lap. Once she was comfortable, the nurse laid Elijah down in Olivia's arms and she readjusted her tank top and bra before offering him her breast. It took a few seconds of him licking out his tongue, tasting the milk drops on his lips, before he was able to open up for a good latch and began nursing. Madison watched on from Fitz's arms and stared at the lady when she moved towards her tray of things. She washed her hands and went to check Olivia's blood pressure, before finally instructing her on breaking his latch.

"I've done it before with babies nursing but I've had some choke so I prefer not to do it that way unless the parents insist." She went on and explained which shot she was giving him before injecting the needle and securing it with a band-aid just as fast.

Madison smiled, internally happy that everything had gone well, until she heard cat- like cries come from her mother's arms. Leaning further out of Fitz's arms, she watched at Olivia tried to get him latched back on, but his screams increased and his little voice shook as tears rolled down his face.

"Daddy, she hurt him!" She moved until Fitz sat her down on the bed, and they watched her move closer to Elijah and reach for his head while shushing him.

"Be gentle baby" Olivia whispered, almost not wanting to interrupt this moment.

" 'Lijah, it's okay baby. Don't cry, shhhhh, shhhhhh" she patted his head, and stroked his face repeatedly, chanting until he began to quiet down. "It's okay, don't cry Lijah."

"Rub his back baby." Fitz sat next to her on the bed and encouraged her quietly to keep comforting hher baby brother.

Madison moved her hand to his back while Olivia cradled him more. She started off rubbing just up and down until Fitz's larger hand guided hers to move in soothing circles over his back. She continued the motion for another minute before Olivia had him latched onto her breast again and he was nursing quietly with his eyes closed. Seeing that he was perfectly fine now, Madison sat up and looked at Olivia, her bottom lip trembling as her eyes watered.

"Baby, what is it? It's okay, don't cry"

"I .. I don't want .. Lijah to get more shots, mommy"

"Oh baby I know you don't. Mommy doesn't like it either, but you know how shots make you not get sick and stay healthy? Well that's what they do for brother too. I know he didn't like them, but he's okay now."  
"You know why he's okay?" Fitz chimed in. "Because you helped calm him down Mads. You're such a great big sister."

Olivia and Fitz smiled as Madison kept patting his back and her shushing stopped and both parents felt everything shift when their little girl looked up at Olivia, "Mommy, sing him the bedtime song."

Swallowing the emotional lump in her throat, Olivia's eyes found Fitz's. They had a morning song and a bedtime song and it was special for them. Madison asking Olivia to sing Elijah, to actually share the song was a big step.

"_Why do birds suddenly appear, every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be, close to you. Why do stars fall down from the sky, every time you walk by? Just like me, they long to be, close to you."_

Elijah had quieted down and his eyes drifted closed as the four of them say together for the first time as a family.

"He's sleeping mommy."

It's like she knew to whisper. Madison moved from her kneeling position and moved to sit on Olivia's lap.

"Here baby, sit right next to me, okay?"

Fitz eased Elijah out of Olivia's arms as she moved her legs together a little more and sat Madison right under her arm so she was snug. It wasn't until Fitz moved to lay him back into Liv's arms that Madison spoke up.

"Can I hold him?"

"Of course you can. Now he's really little so you've got to be very gentle and sit still, okay? I'm gonna help you hold him okay?"

Madison nodded and let her mom position her arms the correct way before she laid a blanket across her little body. Olivia brought her right arm around Madison's waist as Fitz laid the sleeping infant in her arms with Olivia providing the full support of his head and neck.  
She sat there staring at her little brother and running her little fingers all over him.

"He's really little mommy"

"He is. He's so little. You were little like this too."

"I'm the biggest now."

"You are. You are the big sister."

"Am I a good big sister?"

"You are the bestest big sister ever. He's so lucky you're his sister."

"I love him mommy."

When her voice cracked, both Olivia and Fitz looked at her closely and saw her lip lightly tremble.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"I don't wanna go home with Grammy and Grandpa. I wanna stay with Lijah and you."

"Mads you can stay up here with me and daddy and then he will take you back to Grammy's house okay?"

She nodded her head and leaned down to kiss Elijah not noticing the unsure look from Fitz.

"I don't wanna leave you guys by yourself"

His voice was a whisper but Olivia heard him.

"Is that okay? I figured once Abby comes she'll stay for a while and Quinn will be here too so I wouldn't be alone and you could spend some time with her."

Understanding where she was coming from, Fitz agreed and knew it would work out perfectly. Seeing his girls and son sitting so contently, Fitz grabbed his phone and snapped a few pictures- some of them candid, others telling them both to look his way.

When his parents came back in a few minutes later they were happy and relieved to see Madison holding Elijah and were glad things had settled by the time they'd gotten back. To say Madison was displeased with sharing her brother with her grandfather was an understatement. She pouted at the first mention of "sharing with grandpa" and the whole fifteen minutes Jerry held the newest Grant, Madison stood by his side, eyeing her brother. She was being protective of him, and it was adorable. It didn't take long for her to be positioned between her grandparents and with their assistance on both sides, her baby brother was back in her lap asleep. As far as she was concerned, after mommy, and daddy, she was in charge.

It was almost a full hour later that The Grants left and just after that, Abby showed up with Quinn.

"Hey, come on in." Fitz greeted opening the door wider so they could come in. "Liv's feeding him right now."

"Oh, should we wait outside?" Quinn started, but was interrupted by Olivia stopping her.

"You're fine Quinn. We're covered."

"Are you sure? I'm fine with it."

Abby hadn't paused at all and continued on into the room.

"Yep, have a seat. Thank you SO much for keeping her last night. It would've taken us so long to either way for someone to come over, or to drop her someplace else and get here on time."

"No problem at all, I told you I was ready when you needed me. How soon did he come after you got here?"

Olivia looked to Fitz, silently asking for his input.

"Hmm, he was here within forty-five minutes of us getting checked in."

"Wow, did you have an epidural or was it too late?"

"Well most hospitals make you decide before you reach five centimeters, then you can't get it but you can here up till nine centimeters. So I knew it was an option but honestly by the time we got checked in, there wasn't time. I think it was as I was about to fill out the paperwork and sign that the contractions really started hitting me and within like fifteen minutes he was here."

"That's crazy! What was that like, a natural birth?"

Olivia laughed watching Fitz grimace and stretch his fingers where there was noticeable bruising on his hand from her squeezing it through the contractions.

"It wasn't what I had planned to do and completely unexpected. It hurt like hell but he came so fast, it honestly was ok. I'm just glad to say I did it and survived."

"Wow. That's just incredible, Liv. I can't believe he's actually here."

Olivia smiled and nodded before glancing at Abby who was sitting at the small table in the room with Madison in her lap. They had all but forced her off the bed and set her up with some coloring sheets and crayon paints the nurse was kind enough to bring in. She wasn't thrilled with the idea of not sitting with her brother, but she was excited to make a picture that was promised to be hung in his bedroom. Abby hadn't spoken a word to Olivia but there weren't any words needed. Olivia knew exactly what Abby was thinking because she felt the same way.

It was the day after Madison was born that they sat together, just the two of them in the hospital room planning out the future of the little dark headed baby that lay on the bed asleep. Olivia had mentioning never experiencing giving birth again because she'd never have anyone that was worth possibly breaking her daughters heart and that she'd rather be alone to have that happen. Neither of them could ever picture Olivia married to an amazing man that loved and adored her little girl so much, with a brand new baby. It was overwhelming to the both of them, and Olivia knew that Abby couldn't wait to get her hands on him. They'd have their time later once everyone was gone. She was being good for now.

"Alright" Olivia started when Elijah had his fill and was no longer nursing. She kept him on the boppy while she fixed her tank top, and then brought him to her shoulder to burp him. "He definitely needs to burp, so if either of you wants to do that, you can hold him."

Olivia didn't need to ask twice, and Quinn was up washing her hands and taking the blanket that Fitz handed her before she carefully grabbed the baby boy out of Liv's arms and cradled him on her shoulder. His little body was scrunched up and Quinn smiled at his bum sticking out. She moved to patting his back softly before Olivia encouraged her to do it a little harder and second later he burped. He made little mewing noises before squirming around and settling in to the crook of her arm as she switched to cradle him.

"He is so gorgeous guys! What time did he come?"

"Two-nineteen this morning"

Fitz said proudly. He glanced at Abby and Madison who were engrossed in the coloring pages and he sent a look to Olivia wondering why Abby hadn't so much as peeked at Elijah or Olivia. Understanding, Olivia shook her head at him, letting him know that there wasn't anything to worry about and that she would explain later.

They talked about everything while Quinn cradled him. Olivia asked about her plans for the summer now that school was officially out. Quinn worked during the summer, but usually took the last two weeks of May off for vacation time she usually saved up. She'd be back at Apple Creek for the June session but was ready to enjoy her break.

"My whole immediate family is going to Cabo for the week."

"Wow, that's amazing! You're gonna have so much fun!"

"I know I can't wait! We leave on Tuesday! I swear I've been hitting the gym daily since last week so I won't feel like a glutton while I'm there" she said laughing lightly as to not wake the baby up.

"I feel you, I can't wait to see if I bounce back after this guy. I was pretty much back to my pre-pregnancy weight within three weeks once I had her."

"Yea, being a single parent does that to you. " Abby spoke up before turning to look at Olivia who stuck her tongue out at the redhead. "Fitz, is not gonna let you overdue anything. It won't be like last time, Liv. You might actually keep some weight on you, which wouldn't be a bad thing."

"Ugh, you would say that. Just wait till you get knocked up, I hope you crave cheeseburgers, pizza, cake- anything that's bad for you."

"Yea, yea you would. So I've been really good so far Quinn, but you've got maybe ten minutes tops with him before I stake my claim."

Olivia shook her head at the two of them and laughed softly. They weren't attached at the hip, but had become such great friends in the past year and enjoyed each other's company.

"Speaking of Cheeseburgers, babe….." Olivia said turning to look at Fitz. He was sitting on the cushioned chair with his head resting on the back of it, clearly tired.

"Yea?" his head tilted in her direction and he eyed her carefully.

"I kinda want one."

"Really? A cheeseburger?"

"Yep. I guess it really was him wanting hot dogs the past seven months. My little handsome weirdo."

"Where do you want one from? Are you gonna eat the lunch mom brought, or should I eat it?"

"Madison's lunch is in there, but she brought up some Broccoli-Cheddar soup for me and I'll eat that later unless you want it. I just need a cheeseburger in my life."

Fitz laughed at her dramatics and stood up and stretched before slipping his flip flops on and grabbing his wallet.

"Red Robin or Five Guys?"

"Hmmm, surprise me! But either place, bring me fries too, please."

"I want fries!" Madison spoke up.

"Then Red Robin it is." Fitz said to himself out loud, knowing Five Guys used peanut oil for their food. That was a place they still hadn't tried with Madison since they had peanuts in the restaurant at all times for people to munch on.

"Toots, why don't you ride with Daddy and get some special time with him, okay?"

She looked up from her drawing and thought about it for a second and glanced at her daddy.

Fitz looked over at Madison and started wiggling his eyebrows up and down, knowing she'd cave. That was their special sign meaning wherever they went, they'd get ice cream before coming back. Fitz was good about cleaning her up, so Madison didn't think her mom knew, but Fitz knew she had caught on to their secret. They could pry the little girl away from anything if ice cream was promised.

"Yes I wanna go!"

She scrambled off of Abby's lap and moved to give Elijah a soft kiss on his cheek before clambering on the bed to give Olivia an affectionate kiss on the mouth. She waved at Abby and Quinn before running into her Daddy's waiting arms and leaving out with him.

"Now that she has a brother I get a lousy wave goodbye?" Abby said, feeling offended at the nonchalant goodbye from her goddaughter.

"Don't read too much in it, she knows they're going to get ice cream so she's got that on a brain."

"Yea, yea, I know their little code but still."

Quinn shifted in her seat and grabbed her phone to see what time it was.

"Alright Liv, as much as I never want to put him down, I need to get going. I've got a lot to do before we leave so I need to stop stalling. He is beautiful and I'm so happy for you guys!"

She stood from the bed and handed him to Liv since Abby was at the sink washing her hands. She leaned down and hugged Olivia before giving Elijah a small kiss on the top of his head and told Abby she'd talk to her later before she left out.

When Abby moved away from the sink, she grabbed her large purse and pulled out a white t-shirt before stripping the shirt she had on, off and replacing it with the new one. Olivia laughed and moved over in the bed, waiting for Abby to join her.

"Laugh all you want, but you know I know the drill. I don't want a blanket over me, I want to feel his chubby body so I have a fresh shirt, straight from the dryer I'll have you know, so give me my godson, woman."

Olivia laughed and passed him over after kissing his face several times first.

Abby held Elijah against her chest and brought her lips to his downy hair as her eyes filled with tears. She leaned her head back on the pillow behind her before turning to look at Olivia whose face mirrored her own.

"He's gorgeous Liv. I love him so much."

She let out a laughing cry and nodded her head in agreement.

"He has that affect on people, I've noticed. I can't get enough of him."

They sat their silently for a few minutes together, Olivia's hand wrapped tightly around Abby's as they both thought about the last time they sat in a hospital room with a newborn. This time would be different. Abby wouldn't be there every day at lunch and dinner making sure Olivia got some rest and fed herself. There wouldn't be any sleepovers that were purely for Olivia to sleep through the night while Abby tended to the baby. There would be no more tearful nights hating the way her life had turned out and thoughts of regret filling Olivia's mind.

No, this time was only filled with joy and hope.

"Did Fitz cry?"

"Oh goodness did he ever! He was a mess and so was I."

"I can imagine, hell look at me. How was Shorty when she met him?"

"She ignored him at first. Just looked at him and went on about her business, making me cry."

"That little brat."

"Such a brat right?" Olivia agreed, lightly laughing. "So the nurse came in to give him a shot and I nursed him a little before to calm him and he screamed and cried and Madison flew off the deep end. She was mad at the nurse but then just focused on him and calming him down. She rubbed his back and told me to sing to him. It was amazing watching this need to protect him just bubble out of her. Because she seemed to want nothing to do with him, then immediately became his protector."

"That's my girl. She gets it from her mama."

"She would barely let Jerry hold him. It was hilarious to see her eyeing him and watching him cave and letting her hold him again. She already made certain she stayed here instead of leaving with them. Fitz is gonna drop her off sometime before you leave. He's adamant about not leaving us up here alone for some reason."

"Oh let him dote, he's a new daddy. It's cute."

"It really is. He's so sweet with him and wants to hold him all of the time but he's being very generous with visitors. He was giving the nurses a hard time all last night though. He's become famous here already."

"Sounds about right. That husband of yours is something else, Liv."

"He really is." She leaned her head on Abby's shoulder and rubbed a finger over Elijah's tiny leg. "I'd be so lost without him."

* * *

It was a few hours after Fitz had dropped a fussy Madison off at his parent's house with promises to see her tomorrow, and Abby had gone home as well that Fitz cleaned up their dinner plates and sat them on the sink counter. Once Abby left they hadn't had any more visitors and they were happy about that. They assured her she didn't have to leave so soon, but she let them know she had some things to do after checking on Scooter for the second time that day .They were both tired and wanting to rest as much as possible. Olivia enjoyed her burger and fries early and barely touched her soup for dinner before their boy was demanding to be fed. She started on one side, checking her messages while Fitz sat in the chair by her bed watching. She knew he was enamored with her nursing and wondered if there was a bit of jealousy in there as well.

"You know if you stare any harder, I'm gonna think I need to feed you" she said smirking in his direction as she began burping Elijah.

"Is that a promise Mrs. Grant?" he asked smiling at her.

"Nope." She said laughing at his brazenness.

"Don't be such a tease, Livvie."

"You really can't be serious about tasting my breast milk."

"I heard from several people that each woman is different in the way they taste, and we already know how much I love the taste of.."

"Stop it Fitzgerald. No bedtime talk in front of the munchkin."

"If we didn't have bedroom talk, he wouldn't be here."

"Yea, yea."

Olivia proceeded to nurse on the other side. "He's doing it again babe" she complained to Fitz.

Fitz held up one finger, signaling Olivia to give him one more second, finished sending his text, then moved to sit with her on the bed. He didn't need to ask what she was referring to once he took a look at his now sleeping son. They had their work cut out for them. Every feeding, he would eat on one side, and while being burped, he would conk out before eating on the other side. It wasn't a huge deal, but he was clearly not full and that only seemed to break him off the miniscule feeding schedule they were trying to set for him. They knew the first few days would be strictly on demand feeding and that a schedule was almost impossible but they knew it was no harm in trying.

Her nurse told her that a mothers' smell was so comforting to a baby that it often happened that way and they should expect him to fall asleep mid feeding. Olivia smiled at that but then frowned feeling just a bit discouraged after not having gone through that with Madison. She never slept through a feeding or half of one.

"Well why don't you pump from that side and I'll feed him." Fitz suggested. He was deemed an expert at waking his son up and keeping him alert. He'd done a good job of doing that throughout Olivia's pregnancy, always easily riling their boy up inside the womb.

"Try waking him now." She handed the baby over to his dad, and smiled at his little curled up body with his little poked out bum. She reached over to grab the pump that was plugged in at her bedside, and went to work. She was shocked the loud noise didn't wake her baby, but figured that professionals didn't get distracted, and her son was a professional sleeper if you asked her.

"He's gotta stop doing that. I want to nurse him and pump as little as possible for now."

Fitz nodded, knowing that those were his wishes before he focused his attention back on his son.

"Alright buddy, you gonna wake up for daddy? Let's try this." he talked to the baby, lying him down on a small receiving blanket in front of them. "So although the book clearly states you shouldn't wake a sleeping baby, it definitely gave some ways of waking them up."

"Yea, do the foot thing." Olivia and Abby had read up on that one and they were forced to use it on Madison often. Basically you'd gently rub your fingernail up and down the bottom of the babies' foot. They hated the sensation and would immediately start to squirm, and if you continued, they'd wake up, usually crying. They'd tried it on one another and realized that it wouldn't hurt him, but the ticklish sensation was actually just annoying enough to rile anyone up. Fitz could count the number of times Olivia had woke him up from a deep sleeping "trying things out" during her pregnancy.

Fitz started to rub at the boy's sock covered foot, knowing he had his wife beat in that category now. She'd insisted on getting her nails cut shorter than she'd ever had them, not wanting to take a chance on scratching Elijah.

First his foot immediately pushed against the sensation, then both his legs started moving before his small body squirmed. Taking it to the next level, Fitz rubbed both feet and seconds later a shrill cry was heard from the red faced baby.

Fitz snickered while Olivia looked on guiltily. "Alright, one last trick." Fitz reached across Olivia to grab a single wipe from the pack beside her and unsnapped the onsie he was wearing. Olivia was confused as to what he was doing until she watched him rub the wipe lightly over his belly, the cool cloth shocking her baby.

His cries immediately grew and his little body went stiff at the sudden coldness to his skin.

"What the hell Fitz! That's enough." she shot him an angry look, while she stopped the pump and got a fresh nipple and top to put on the bottle.

"Livvie calm down. It's alright buddy, I got ya. You awake now huh?" he lifted him to his face, peering at the scrunched up eyes and thin lips that his wife claimed belonged to him. He kissed those tiny lips before laying him down to snap his clothes back up and swaddled him back in the blanket before giving Olivia an innocent smile.

"Come on Livvie, you wanted me to wake him. This is the most alert he's been since he was born. Hand over the milk woman." She agreed, and complied, but still glared at him angrily.

"Don't do that shit again to my baby, Fitz."

"Yes ma'am" he chuckled and settled himself into the chair next to her bed. He was ecstatic to feed his son for the first time.

_The first of many_, he thought.

* * *

**Thanks for reading guys. Hope this chapter specially lived up even a little to the expectations of meeting Elijah. The song Liv sings to him is the song my sister sang to her little boy Jacob as a baby so that was sort of honoring him. Hope you'll let me know what you think. This story will slowly be coming to an end… I'm thinking maybe 5-8 more chapters? I don't know- ideas pop in my head all the time and maybe I'll extend it but I feel their story is slowly coming to an end, but I'll keep you posted. Either way, I have another story that's five chapters in and I have one that I'm prepared to write once FS is completed. I appreciate you all for reading. ****There ****Is a reviewer that always asks how my week was and I always forget to answer. Thanks so much for asking- this week wasn't a good one but things are getting better. Hope your week was great.**

**Until next time. **


	22. Chapter 21

**Don't you worry 'bout a thing  
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, pretty mama  
Cause I'll be standing in the wings  
When you check it out**

**-Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing- Stevie Wonder**

**Thank you guys so much for the amazing feedback from the previous chapter. I'm so glad you are happy that little Lijah is here and that you like his nickname instead of the other possible that shall not be mentioned. I apologize for the long wait- I had a pretty busy end of the summer with traveling and school and now my final semester started last week! Yay for my Bachelors finally! Well here is the next chapter! Hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

* * *

When Fitz and Olivia were in bed that night, it wasn't their swaddled baby that slept in the cradle next to their bed that awakened them. Elijah was a fantastic eater, and an even better sleeper. Sure his time was off and like most newborns, he slept most of the day, and was pretty alert at night. He was slowly following a schedule at two weeks old, and had fallen asleep a little over an hour ago with the sounds of waves filling the room and a full tummy. But the noises that Fitz and Olivia heard came directly from their four and a half year old.

Since the day they brought Elijah home from the hospital, Madison was constantly in his face smothering him with kisses and wanting to hold him. The horror stories they had mentally prepared for weren't needed because their big girl was a dotting big sister that adored her baby brother in every single way. Especially when it was frowned upon. Olivia usually spent her days feeling guilty about reprimanding Madison about her actions when it came to her baby brother. On one hand she was grateful she wanted to be around him so much, but on the other hand big sister was constantly hovering and not in a good way.

Fitz moved around trying to ignore the noises he heard but was jostled awake the second he felt the bassinet being moved from his grasp. The baby slept on his side and keeping his arm stretched out and touching the tiny bed was a habit he had formed. The second it moved from his grasp, he was awake. He sat up with his eyes open and was not surprised to see Madison standing in between the two beds.

"Mads…" he started, not feeling like handling this again tonight, but knowing Olivia needed her rest. She had just been up feeding Elijah and had just gotten back to sleep.

"Please Daddy, I'm lonely. It's not fair Lijah gets to sleep with you and Mommy and I don't. I wanna sleep here too."

It was the same since they had come home. The first night she'd ran in their room screaming that someone had stolen her brother after she didn't see him in the crib that was in his nursery. They were all awakened and assured her that Elijah would sleep in their room until he was a little older. That's when it started. The fight to get Madison to sleep in her own room.

With Elijah not sleeping through the night, they did not want Madison to be awakened every few hours every time he was ready to nurse. When Madison didn't get her rest, she was far too cranky to deal with and they didn't need a cranky newborn and four year old. They had learned their lesson. The first night she came in, they'd let her stay thinking it wouldn't be so bad but they were wrong.

"Madison, we talked about this. You are a big girl that sleeps in your bed."

"But I don't.."

"No. No buts, go get back in your bed please. Now."

Her lower lip started quivering and she ran out of the room and slammed her own bedroom door closed once she reached it. Her lip quiver turned into loud sobs that could be heard through the closed door and Fitz groaned before removing the covers from his legs.

"Maybe you should let her cry it out" Came Liv's muffled voice next to him. "This is going on a full week now."

"I can't let her just cry it out, Liv. As much as I want to, it's just gonna keep me up all night. I can't listen to her crying. It makes me sick to my stomach."

"Well, you spoiled her so she doesn't like to be told 'no'."

Fitz ignored her last statement and left the room before silently closing the door behind him. When he walked inside of Madison's room, she was on her bed with Scooter snuggled up under her and licking her face. He knew better than to be on the bed but his master was crying and this was his way of comforting her. Fitz gestured for the dog to get down and when he did, Fitz pushed the covers back and climbed under before opening his arms for Madison to join him. She went willingly into his arms and for the fourth night that week, Fitz snuggled into the full size bed and slept with his daughter under the purple and white comforter.

A few hours later, Fitz felt something poking his side. He forced one eye open and saw his wife sitting on the edge of the edge of the bed wrapped tightly in her robe, and pouting.

"Why the face? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that my mini me keeps stealing my husband in the middle of the night and I keep waking up alone with his mini me."

Fitz sighed and eased Madison from his chest and held his breath as she curled her body around her pillow and continued sleeping. Fitz moved the blanket from his legs and pulled her to sit on his lap before burying his face in her neck.

"Did he give you a hard time after nursing? I should've come back to help."

"No, he was fine. I just fed him and put him back down. I mean I missed you."

"You missed me?"

"Yea, I can tell when you're not in bed with me Fitz."

"It's the same for me too. They're both asleep now, something that's a rare occurrence lately. Should we catch some more sleep in our bed?"

"Yea, but I wanna show you something first. I got you something. Well, us something."

She stood up from his lap, and pulled him behind her as they walked quietly out of Madison's and into the living room. On the couch was a large basket filled with a rolled up throw blanket, a pack of un-popped popcorn, two cream sodas, a box of Mike &amp; Ike's, a pack of Twizzler's and their favorite Chinese food menu. On the very top saw the new Avengers: Age of Ultron movie that Fitz had been dying to see.

"Baby, what is all this? Did you make a date night basket?"

She nodded and smiled up at him before wrapping her arms round his waist.

"Did you cheat? You know I've been itching to get that one."

"No, I didn't cheat. I picked it fair and square."

He pulled her tighter into him and kissed the top of her head. Since their last and final therapy session things had been going great for them. When they were asked about how they were coming along with making special time and going the extra mile for one another, they had great progress to report. Accepting that they could go about this in any shape or form, they'd realized that they had different ideas and shared them with one another. While Fitz preferred to plan things in secrecy and surprise Olivia, she preferred to create a list of things she'd love to be able to do for Fitz or for them to do together. She's used colorful Popsicle sticks she'd gotten from Michaels and put them in a jar to choose from at random and that's how she'd come up with their plans for tonight. There were a few times that Fitz would sneak some sticks in there and choose as well, still surprising Olivia. Her favorite had to have been before she had given birth to Elijah and he had drawn her a bath, lit candles everywhere, and ordered her favorite chicken lo mien to eat while she bathed and he took care of Madison. He'd left her all alone with an ipad set up to play calming music and a promise of returning to help her out of the tub whenever she was ready.

"How did you get this movie? I didn't think it was out yet."

"I pre-ordered it and we got it early with our Amazon Prime account. The release date isn't for another two days."

"Oh, so that account was finally good for something."

She snorted and shook her head at him knowing he hated that account and saw it as a waste of money. "Yep so you can't complain anymore."

"So tell me, how is this impromptu date night gonna happen with our two rugrats hanging around? I know we're not leaving Lijah yet."

"Nope, your parents have agreed to come over and help out. I'm gonna feed him, then hand him over and we are going to be locked in our bedroom without any interruptions. I'm nowhere near ready to leave him yet, so we are just going to pretend we're on a real date. They're gonna get Madison fed, bathed and keep her entertained until bedtime."

"What happens when he freaks out because he wants more milk or when your milk comes in?"

"I'm gonna pump."

He pulled back from her embrace and held her at arms-length.

"You're going to pump? My wife who HATES pumping is going to pump so that we can have a date night?"

"Yep. Pumping every night before bed is tough enough. The things I do for you Mr. Grant. You should feel so lucky."

"Oh believe me, I do." He leaned forward and finally kissed her, savoring her lips and tongue for a few moments before pulling away. "Do we have a dress code for this date of ours?"

"Hmmmm," Olivia began, tapping a finger to her chin before continuing. "… I was thinking pj's. The most comfortable pj's we own."

"Sounds perfect."

It was later in the afternoon that Olivia sat in the living room with a Boppy around her waist nursing Elijah. Scooter sat at her feet after purposely being locked out of Madison's bedroom while she napped. She fought nap time nowadays and they didn't always make her take one except for when she had been out and had a busy morning. She'd be cranky otherwise. Fitz had taken her to the gym with him and she played in the kid's area before the two of them went grocery shopping for a few things. Once they'd gotten home, Fitz allowed Madison to play outside between the trampoline and the playground set while he mowed the lawn and watered the few plants and flowers Olivia had outside. He had wiped Madison down quickly before putting her down for a nap with a threat of having no tv time that afternoon if she didn't nap.

Olivia smiled when she lifted Elijah up to her shoulder and his little butt poked out as his legs curled up to his stomach. He was a great burper and it didn't take many pats to get two large belches from the baby. She was content holding her baby boy and sniffed at his dark, wavy hair that was curling more easily in the past two days. She continued patting his back but stopped and grimaced when she heard him fill his diaper. She laughed, silently blaming his boyish ways on his father and went to stand up so she could change him. She dropped the Boppy on the couch and moved down the hall with Scooter following her and stopping at the door to their bedroom obediently. They hadn't allowed him in their bedroom since the baby came home because neither were a fan of him possibly licking the baby nor dog hair in their room. He didn't shed much at all but they were extra careful. She heard the shower going and knew Fitz had finally jumped in after lifting weights for a while once he'd put Madison down.  
Lying Elijah on a small receiving blanket on the bed, Olivia waited for him to stop wiggling and went to unsnap his onesie as he let out another release in his diaper.

"Alright Mr. Man, you gotta chill out with that now. Is your tummy okay? Is Mama eating something you don't like?"

The second she unsnapped his diaper, she saw his face tense up and a second later, poop was on her shirt and urine was flying thru the air and onto both her and Elijah.

"Shit!"

Olivia brought her hand over his penis to stop the flow from flying everywhere. He seemed to pee nonstop and when she noticed he was pushing again, she scooped him up quickly and held him against her chest as she finally noticed the poop that had spread up his back.

"Lijah, buddy Mama's sorry."

His cries started up as he became uncomfortable and she laid him back down before stripping the drenched onesie off of him.

"Liv, is he alright?"

She turned, hearing Fitz call out from the bathroom and she could picture the shower door open and his head poking out. Thinking fast, she brought him back to her chest and held a hand over his butt in case he had any more surprises and went into the bathroom where Fitz was still peeking out of the shower door.

"What's wrong? Oh man, poor buddy" he said questioning her before he noticed his sons' appearance as well as Olivia's ruined shirt.

"Change the water, make it warm."

"Huh?"

"I need you to take him for me. He's covered in poop, so turn it down cause it's too hot for him right now"

His cries were growing louder and making Olivia's breast hurt from his discomfort.

Fitz moved back towards the knobs and messed with them until he thought the temperature was perfect,then he opened the door again.

"Livvie, check it first. I think it's good."

He was unsure and wouldn't let her hand him over before she checked it and once she gave him the okay, he carefully lifted him from her arms and brought him into the shower.

"Fitz you need to put him on your chest!"

"He's got crap everywhere though!" He said not really wanting to have baby shit on him. He had one hand under his head, neck and shoulders, while the other hand was against his yellow, pooped covered butt.

"Just rinse him off but you need to hold him on your chest babe. Do skin to skin so he stays warm."

He maneuvered him around to rinse his lower half before bringing him to his chest. He switched the water pressure from normal to mist and stood under the shower head swaying.

"Can you wash him up while you're in there?"

Fitz turned and looked at her through the glass with wide eyes.

"To be honest, no. I already feel like I'm gonna drop him now, I can't imagine doing this while he's covered in soap."

"Just sit down and do it"

He gave her a pointed look before she sighed and started stripping her cotton shorts off.

"Close your eyes"

Olivia said when she went to lift her tank top from her body and dropped it in the sink to the right. She'd need to hand wash it the stain out before throwing it in the washing machine.

"Not a chance" he yelled back while continuing to stare at her while she undressed.

"Ugh" she began, carefully taking her bra off and opening the shower door. "He didn't eat on the other side at all and it's killing me."

Fitz stood up and allowed her to take his spot before handing Elijah to her and watched as he immediately began to root against her chest. Fitz laughed, always finding his son's rooting comical, especially when he did it to him. Shrugging his shoulders, Fitz reached out and grabbed the Honest baby wash and sat it beside Olivia, before angling the shower head towards them and squatting down.

"Want me to wash him some really quick? I gotta do it fast just in case Mads wakes up and you can finish him off."

She nodded once Elijah was latched on and watched him lather the soap in his hands before rubbing the little boy's back and left side down.

"I can't believe he pooped everywhere and on you. He's a smart boy though, he hasn't popped or peed on his Daddy."

"Oh you just wait Daddy. He's saving up something special for you."

Fitz kept one hand against Elijah's back and put the other on Olivia's thigh where his tiny feet were resting.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

"Hey, look at me. If not, you tell me. Be honest with me and don't hide. Okay?"

She made eye contact with him and nodded while smiling softly.

"I feel good today. A lot better than last week."

"Good. I'm glad. No dreams?"

She shook her head before leaning her forehead against his. "No dreams or bad thoughts, fears or anything."

"Did you have your breakfast I left out for you?" She nodded. "All of it? What about a snack?" She nodded again. "Good. Alright I'm gonna get dressed and check on Mads and then I'll be back to grab him. Give me five okay? Then you're gonna rest for a bit."

"Can we go for a walk later? Dr. Andrews said that it's good to get some fresh air and get out of the house. It's also good exercise. She said whenever I was ready that it would be good for me."

"Of course we can. Why don't we go after lunch. What do you want to eat?"

"Something leafy- a salad with chicken and maybe throw some quinoa in too. It's filling and healthy. I'd feel good eating that."

He nodded before leaning up and kissing her soundly on the mouth then kissed his son. H stood up straight and moved to the door to step out and dry off.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to grab him."

Olivia nodded and continued to let Elijah nurse as the warm water fell softly against the two of them. She took a few deep breaths that she'd learned from a YouTube yoga technique video and repeated the action several times.

A lot of what she had been focused on in the past week and a half was herself. No matter what she was doing she was sure to think of herself and how she was feeling while being completely honest. Fitz had noticed the way she had been feeling about herself and how'd she's barely gotten any sleep and noticed them as the first signs of post partum depression. He'd never expected that to happen with his Livvie but luckily they had caught it in the beginning stages. She had no real appetite, was overly fearful of SIDS destroying their family, therefore making her stay awake most nights worrying and stressing over their baby boy.

Fitz was very familiar with the symptoms and ways to help Olivia through it and went straight to figuring out the best way to help his wife. He was insistent on her getting at least 8 hours of sleep at night, which meant that he was up bottle feeding Elijah once, and the other feeding the baby would awaken for, Fitz would simply lie him next to her and help them both until he was latched on and feeding. He burped the baby and would coax Olivia onto her other side so he was able to finish feeding before Fitz would burp him and get him sleeping again. In addition to sleeping properly, Fitz made sure to stock the fridge with some of her favorites, making sure there were plenty of options for healthy meals that she wanted. She was only semi self conscious those first few days being home. After coming home with Madison she never had anyone that she wanted to "bounce back" for and although her body did it on its own within the first week and a half, she hadn't felt so confident after giving birth to Elijah and having a husband at home. Fitz did everything he could to remind her that she was completely beautiful in his eyes and that he couldn't have looked at her any differently after she had just given him the best gift in the world.

She was coming around but Fitz knew that when she had told him to close his eyes while she undressed, she was only half kidding.

It was a few minutes later that Fitz walked quietly out of Madison's room and into the bathroom. He didn't want to scare her so he made certain to not stand there too long watching her. She was swaying back and forth under the spray of water with Elijah still latched on as she ran her hands over his soft wet hair.

She looked up a second later and noticed Fitz standing there with a towel laid across his chest. Olivia smiled at him and moved to open the door before gently breaking Elijah's grip and handing him to Fitz.

"Burp him please."

Fitz nodded and wrapped the towel around his small body before carefully bringing him to his shoulder and carrying him into the nursery where he laid him on the changing table.

"Alright big guy, I hear ya. Daddy's gonna change you and get you all warm first."

Fitz spoke quietly to Elijah while drying him off and securing a diaper on his bottom. Once he was completely dry, he moved the towel from under him and laid him on the soft fleece of the changing pad. After giving the baby a light rub down with coconut oil, Fitz dressed him in a thin one piece sleeper that was white with tiny orange boomerangs all over.

"Let's go check on your sister big guy."

Grabbing a burp cloth, he draped it across his chest before finishing up burping him and moving to Madison's room. She'd only been asleep for about an hour and Fitz thought that was long enough. They needed to start their special bedtime routine and he knew if they wanted to try and keep her in her own room tonight, they had to stick to a routine.

Scooter was right behind him as he walked into Madison's room and sat on the bed next to her curled up body.

"Hey baby girl. Can you wake up? Time to get up from your nap."

Madison sat up at her Daddy's voice and when she opened her eyes and saw the baby in his arms, she moved quickly to sit in his lap.

"Hi Lijah. Daddy can I hold him?"

Figuring that one burp was enough, Fitz moved back onto the middle of the bed and had Madison sit between his legs before lowering Elijah into her arms. He kept his arms under hers as she spoke to the cradled baby in a soft voice. It always amazed Fitz how quiet his son got whenever his big sister was talking to him. It was as if he knew exactly who she was and that her role was to teach him what he didn't know and he was eager to learn.

"Daddy, he's looking at me."

"He is. He loves you."

"Does he love me a lot like I love him?"

"I'm pretty sure he loves you just as much. You're his big sister."

"Are we gonna get a new baby now that's a sister?"

She glanced up at Fitz believing her question was extremely valid.

"Well not right now. We are gonna take care of Lijah for a while before we have any other babies that might be sisters."

"Like a while like when Mommy said Christmas is a while away?"

"Longer than that but don't worry. You just focus on taking care of baby brother."

"Okay Daddy. He's my favorite baby. I want him to grow up but so that he can play with me all the time."

"Well, once he grows for a couple more months, he will start smiling and he will be a lot of fun."

Madison was quiet for a moment before she leaned her head back to look at Fitz upside-down.

"When Mommy has a baby that's a sister in a long while, am I still gonna be your best girl?"

Fitz stared at her wondering when the day would come that she didn't question her place in his heart regardless of the amount of siblings she'd have. As much as Olivia had changed his life, Madison was an equal part in that and he knew she might not ever realize how important she really was to him. It was Madison that gave Fitz the feeling of being more than just a man. For Olivia, being a man was what she needed. It was his second nature, but what Madison needed him to be was so much more. There was growth in him that only happened because of the small girl in his lap and the way she accepted him so fully into her heart made him a better man and person.

"You, my baby girl will ALWAYS be my best girl. No matter what. I promise."

"I promise too, Daddy."

She puckered up her lips and offered him a kiss before focusing her attention back on her brother.

"Daddy, can we have Donies with Daddy with Lijah too since you're his Daddy too?"

Her reasoning made him laugh, and although it wasn't Saturday, he agreed. "Yes, we can definitely do that. As long as Lijah is comfy in his bouncy seat while you and I make the Donies, we should be good."

He lifted the baby from her arms and waited for her to scoot off the bed before doing the same thing, and headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

Fitz waited patiently as Olivia wrapped the Ergo wrap around her body before placing Elijah against her chest. A minute later, she secured the fabric around his body and was ready to go. They left the house with Madison riding her scooter in front of them while Fitz did his best to jog alongside her with Scooter. He tried to do this all without leaving Liv too far behind them. When they arrived at the park just two blocks away, Fitz sped up his pace with Scooter as he ran around the small pond, while Olivia kept an eye on Madison who circled the sidewalk around the playground.

"Mommy, I'm gonna play now."

Madison dropped the scooter next to Olivia and went to climb on the bright orange equipment. Olivia sat on the bench and watched as she ran onto the bridge and began to bounce playfully. It was just a year ago that she was terrified of crossing the bridge and would cry for her mom to carry her across. Seeing things like this made Olivia realize just how fast Madison was growing up. When the summer was over, her little girl would be five years old and starting Kindergarten. Olivia shook the thoughts from her head and peered down at Elijah who was passed out with his little lips pursed out. Fitz swore he inherited her lips, and Olivia couldn't deny it. They weren't as plump as hers were, but they definitely had the volume his father's didn't.

"You done already, Old Man?"

Olivia smirked up at her husband who was panting as he plopped down next to her with Scooter following suit on the ground.

"Haha, it's hot as balls out here, Livvie. And I ran my ass off. I got three rounds just now. We forgot to bring water."

"It's only because the sun is still beaming over there. It's nice and breezy over here. And don't say ass. He can hear you even clearer than in the womb."

"Sorry. Is he still out?" She nodded as he moved closer to the bundle on her chest. "He's gonna be up all night if he keeps this up."

"Are we going to discuss what I mentioned this morning?"

Raising an eyebrow, Fitz shook his head before bringing the bottom of his shirt up to his head and wiping it clear of sweat.

"I thought we talked about how I really don't feel like I have a huge say in this."

"We talked about it, but we disagreed on it. It's as much your decision as it is mine, Fitz."

"Yea, but you've done this before, you know what you're comfortable with and I don't want to change that for you."

"But what about finances? That's something we have to think of."

"Livvie, I've already told you not to think that way. Take that completely out of the equation and make a decision. And you have a little bit of time to make it. School doesn't start for another three months. You need to give an answer at least by mid-July, so that's nearly two months."

"I know, and of course I want to be there with my colleagues and I love the start of a new school year, plus Mads will be starting there and that would be the biggest comfort just knowing she's right down the hall."

"But?" Fitz said knowing that was coming next.

"But I can't even fathom leaving him to go back to work. He would only be three months and still so small. I don't want him in day care and I surely don't want a nanny raising him unless it was a last resort."

"Well then don't, Livvie. We can always revisit this next year after his first birthday and if you're ready to go back by then, that's great, and if not that's fine too. Eventually you'll want to, and we'll cross that bridge when it's time."

"I just don't want the financial burdens to fall on you alone. I'd hate to have to dig into our savings for anything if an emergency happened."

"That's what they're there for but we will be fine. We set up our bills and accounts to have them paid responsibly. We don't have a mortgage and we double up each month on bills, so even if you didn't work the next two years, we'd still be more than fine, Livvie. This isn't something you're going to worry about. It's a blessing that we don't have to worry about finances, so don't try to take God's blessing and turn it into a stressor."

She nodded her head and agreed.

"You're right. And speaking of, next Sunday is baby dedication and your mom sent his picture and information to the Children's Minister at church to include him in the slideshow. Are we gonna go or wait another week to take him?"

He moved his head from side to side while weighing their options before he answered. "I honestly don't want to take him to any crowded places just yet. It would be great to have him dedicated and actually prayed over with the congregation, but you know there are certain people that have no boundaries or personal space and will no doubt try to hold him.

"Ms. Patty and Mrs. Jones for sure." Olivia agreed nodding. "Well if we go to the early service they greet, so we'd be able to get in without them stopping or even seeing us, then we can scoot out before they have the chance to stop us."

"We could do that. Are you really ready to go out though? Regardless of him, how do you feel...down…. there?"

"Down there." Olivia said mimicking his voice and rolling her eyes at him. "If you must know, I'm ok. With Madison I only bled for about four and a half weeks, so I'm hoping I bounce back just as quick if not quicker. But this time I know what to expect so I can prepare better for it. I know what meds are safe to take and what actually works, so anything _down there_ is good. I'm in the same boat as you, I don't really want him around a bunch of people, but I do want to get out and go to church."

"How about we just go to Saturday evening service for the next few weeks and once he's had his six week shots we can see how our schedule works out and decide from there?"

"How did I end up with such a smart husband?"

"You just got really, really lucky. And you had a really, really cute kid that helped win me over."

"Yea, yea."

* * *

Days later, Olivia stood in the kitchen pulling out ingredients for dinner as Madison was in the living room watching tv. It had been her second day fully taking care of both kids by herself and she thought it was going pretty well. Fitz had gone in to see two patients Friday morning but had been home after lunch time so it didn't count, but yesterday was his first full day gone. Madison had been great at being a big helper for Olivia and after making her a behavior and helper chart, things seemed to run very smoothly. She didn't want to neglect her at all and just sit her in front of the tv all day- which Madison would've hated anyway- so Olivia gave her mini tasks to do and help with. Her favorite thing to do was help with preparing her lunch and she was a pro at stuffing the Soothie pacifier in Elijah's mouth when he'd get fussy. She'd also mimicked her mother and perfected the shushing noises that always calmed him down. With all the help Madison had given that day, she'd earned two tv shows and had cashed in one just minutes ago. Olivia first wanted her to help with dinner, but realized she could get things done a lot quicker and probably by the time Fitz got home.

Madison had chosen to watch _Doc McStuffins_ while Olivia started on the chicken and shrimp alfredo. Fitz had requested that for dinner and made sure he got everything for it when he ran to the grocery store the night before. Olivia appreciated him asking for something simple for dinner. Fitz had told her plenty of times that he had no problem cooking dinner once he got in from work, but Olivia didn't want that to be the norm. She wasn't sure what it was, but she loved having dinner ready for him when he got home. Olivia began lightly seasoning the chicken and oiling the pan when she heard Madison's voice coming from the living room.

"What did you say?"

_No response_

"Madison, what did…" Olivia stopped speaking once she moved closer to the living room and realized Madison wasn't speaking to her at all.

"_Doc is like a pretend doctor for her toys and she fixes them up and they came alive and talk to her."_

"Toots, who're you talking to?"

"I'm talking to Lijah. I gotta tell him about Doc McStuffins cause he doesn't know anything about her yet."

"Oh, you're teaching him, huh?"

She nodded, "Yep, I'm the big sister so I gotsta teach him stuff. Daddy told me."

Olivia smiled and went back to working on dinner as she listened to her daughter educate her baby brother on all there was to know about the Doc.

"_Doc fixes all her toys when they say what boo-boo's they have, but toys don't even really come alive and talk, Lijah so don't believe that. But Doc's Mommy is a real doctor. When you're a real doctor, you have to take care of real people and not toys. My Daddy is a doctor and he's your Daddy too, Lijah! He works at a hospital house but Doc has a pretend hospital at her backyard that she works at. I think if we ask Daddy, he will make us a house for us at our backyard too. Here, you hold Lambie, she's Doc favorite but you can't tell anyone that. It might hurt their feelings. Her name is Lambie because she's a lamb!"_

She cackled loudly sitting the stuffed animal on his little legs that were covered by a light blanket before she hugged Doc to her chest and sat on the couch to watch the episode.

"_Doc's Daddy isn't a doctor. I don't think he has a place that he goes to work at. Donny is Doc's little brother like you're my little brother. Except you're my baby brother. And Doc has a Mommy and a Daddy like us, but hers are both brown like her. We don't have a brown Daddy, we get's two colors for our Mommy and Daddy. Mommy is brown and Daddy is yellow. I'm kinda yellow and kinda brown like Mommy and Daddy and you're… Can you see what color you are Lijah? You're kinda yellow like Daddy but I don't know."_

Her conversation was over just as quickly as it started and she focused her attention back on the television. It wasn't until the next episode was about to start when Fitz appeared from the laundry room.

"Daddy!" Madison's voice had Fitz's attention the second he walked through the door and her limbs were wound around his legs within seconds.

"Hi best girl ever!" Fitz lifted her up into his arms and pushed a kiss to her forehead before hugging her tightly against his chest. "Did you have a good day?"

"Yes, I had a great day and I was Mommy's biggest, bestest helper! Right Mommy?" she asked looking over her shoulder at Olivia, while playing with her Daddy's tie. Olivia was standing at the island cutting up spinach leaves for a salad, watching them greet each other as she worked. She knew she'd have to wait her turn to greet her husband but she didn't mind.

"You were definitely the bestest helper ever. Why don't you go wash your hands for dinner."

She started to whine, but at Fitz's raised eyebrows, she stopped and allowed him to place her down before she took off down the hall.

"My beautiful wife." He said in his baritone voice coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"My handsome, hard working husband." She said turning around to see him, a finger softly tracing his jaw line.

"Hi"

"HI"

She gave him a soft peck on the lips, but Fitz wanted more and kept her lips tangled with his until Madison's footsteps were heard in the kitchen, signaling her return.

"No more kisses for Mommy! I want kisses, Daddy!" She said pouting her biggest pout and smiling when Fitz obliged and bent down to kiss her lips.

"Oh so you don't want kisses from me?" Olivia asked, crossing her arms in fake sadness.

Madison looked at her for a few seconds trying to determine if she was being for real or just playing before reaching up with grabby hands until Olivia bent down and gave her several big kisses on the lips, leaving Madison in a fit of giggles.

"Alright you monkey, go get in your seat so we can eat dinner." Olivia said swatting her playfully on the butt. She yelped when a second later, Fitz did the same to her.

"You too. I'll make plates." He winked at her and she sent him a grateful smile and sat down across from Madison, leaving Fitz's seat between them empty.

This is what she'd wished for as long as she could remember. A husband that came home from work at a decent hour, wanting to greet his family with love before helping with dinner duties. Peeking at Elijah, Olivia moved quickly to his bouncer and took the stuffed lamb off of him before tucking the blanket back around his legs and kissing his head softly. Walking back to her seat, Olivia watched Fitz cut up Madison's food bringing both plates over and sitting them in front of them. He next brought their salad bowls with utensils and dressing before finally getting his and sitting down with them.

"Mommy, it's your day to pray for dinner." Madison said.

Olivia smiled and put her hands together before bowing her head and smiling as she began. Even more than food, she had a lot to be grateful for.

The following afternoon, while Fitz took care of feeding Elijah, Olivia set up the Candyland game for her and Madison to play. She planned to have a special tea party with her and although she normally wouldn't go all out to simply play a game, she wanted to do something special for her little girl. She knew that with Elijah finally being here, that Madison definitely needed some extra attention.

When Madison walked into the room, the smile on her face said it all; she was excited. Her fingers went into her smiling mouth instantly and as her eyes took in the table set up, Olivia could tell she would become overstimulated.

"It's so pretty, Mommy!"

"I'm glad you like it. I wanted to have some girl time with you."

"Girl time?" Madison asked climbing up on the chair at the table.

"Yep, just me and you. So we have some juice in your special tea cups you got for Christmas and we have some cookies too. So we can have a little tea party while we play our game. How does that sound?"

Madison nodded her head wildly and clapped her hands before reaching to pick up a cookie and taking a large bite. She looked up at Olivia, seeing if she would be reprimanded and when she wasn't, she happily chewed the soft, chewy treat.

'"Alright, let' play!"

Olivia let Madison go first, beginning their game. No matter what how many doubles Madison got, she always seemed to be behind her mom on the board. Olivia could tell that she wasn't happy about it, but Madison was staying calm. When it was Madison's next turn, she was only able to move one yellow space and that's when the pouting started.

"It's not fair you keep getting all the candy cards and not me."

"Well I'm not trying to get them sweetie. How about we mix the cards up again and then pick cards?" Olivia suggested hoping that would help her daughter pick out one of the character's candy cards. It didn't take long before Olivia drew the Princess Frostine ice cream card and was able to move to the top of the board, making Madison instantly jealous.

"I wanted that card!"

Her arms crossed her chest and her eyes became angry. Olivia watched and took a deep breath before speaking to her in a calm voice.

"Madison Olivia, we are playing a game, and I want to see better behavior. It's just a game and I know you want to get certain cards, but neither of us can control the cards we choose. You shouldn't be pouting and whining over a game."

She didn't respond to her mother verbally, but Olivia knew she had heard her. With Madison's go next, she plucked a card and squealed with delight at seeing that it was a character card. She showed it to Olivia and continued to smile until she searched the board for the small gingerbread cookie, realizing that it was at the very bottom of the board.

Her patience was up and tears fell from her eyes as she threw the piece on the floor followed by the card as well. Her arms crossed her chest and her little feet kicked as they dangled out of the seat.

"It's not fair! I'm gonna lose and you're gonna win! You cheated, Mommy! I always win with Daddy. I don't wanna play with you anymore."

Olivia didn't respond right away, knowing it would've only escalated the issue and probably end up with her popping Madison on her butt a few times before sending her in a time-out. Instead, she began to stack the playing cards neatly and cleared the board before folding it neatly and putting it back into the box.

"You need to pick up the card and the man right now Madison, and put it in the box please. Now."

She continued to wail loudly, but hearing the tone in her mother's voice let her know that she shouldn't disobey. She slid down the chair and picked up the pieces before staying on the ground and using her hand to blindly place the pieces in the box. When Madison heard Olivia closing the box, she let her hand fall from the table and into her lap before laying out completely on the floor. Olivia stood up and walked towards the hall closet where the adult games were stashed and Madison quickly stood up and walked over to her.

"That's my game, Mommy! It goes in my room."

"Not anymore it doesn't."

"Why?" she cried bouncing up and down on her tippy-toes.

"When you can act like a big girl, then maybe you can have the game back. Right now since you're crying about losing the game, I don't think you need to play it anymore. When you want to throw a fit about something, Mommy will put it away until you're ready to act like a big girl."

"But I still want it."

"Well, I wanted to have a great tea party with you and play a game, but you got upset and it's okay to get upset and talk to me about it, but it is NOT okay to start crying and throwing things. That's horrible behavior and I don't like it. So right now your game is gone and you get to sit on your bed and think about what you're gonna do next time instead of throwing a fit. You can't always win a game and you need to learn that it's okay to lose."

Madison hung her head down knowing that if she was being sent to her room, that she was in big trouble. Once Olivia clarified that she wasn't allowed to play with any toys, she went into her bedroom where Fitz was sitting up against the headboard watching tv as Elijah slumbered peacefully on his chest.

_Dammit._ There was no way she could be mad at him with the way he looked right now. Anytime she saw Fitz and Elijah together, all rational thought went out the window the same way it did when she saw him and Madison together. He was such a great father, but such a pushover when it came to Madison.

"You're turning our kid into a brat you know?" She whispered climbing onto the bed next to him. She leaned back into the crook of his arm, facing Elijah's tiny face and ran a gentle finger over his plum cheek.

"What did I do now?" he asked still focused on the highlights from different games that were on the night before.

"Do you always let her win at Candyland?"

"I guess so." He shrugged not seeing the big deal about it.

"Well you can't do that. She just went full on brat while I was trying to play that dang game with her. She has to learn to lose and be a good sport."

"Well she's four, Livvie. It's kinda normal for her to throw a fit about losing."

"Well it might be normal for some kids but I want more than normal for our kids. She's smart, she can understand it so we need to teach her about being a good sport. And about not always getting her way."

He finally paused the tv and looked down at her. "Livvie, really? Yes, she pouts and whines about losing at a game, but she's not some bratty kid that always has to have her way."

"Well not about everything and she's good about listening, but there's one thing in particular we need to get under control."

Fitz went over several things in his mind before it dawned on him and he gave her a pointed look.

"You try saying no to her when it's two a.m. and she's in your face crying and saying 'please Mommy'. I bet you any amount of money, you'll cave in."

"I bet you I won't."

"Okay, shall we make this a real bet?"

"You're pretty cocky Grant. Let's do it. What do you wanna bet?"

"Diaper duty for a week!"

She gave him a look that let him know she wouldn't go for that at all. There was no way either of them were getting out of changing diapers for an entire week. Especially since he would be at work half of the day.

"Fine, how about loser has to fold laundry for a week?"

"Now that I can bet on."

"Alright so if you can get Madison back into her bed tonight without her screaming her head off all night, then you win and I am on folding duty all week, but if you can't get her back into her room and asleep by herself, then you lose."

"It's a deal."

"You're gonna be sorry Mrs. Grant. You don't know the power she holds."

"I've been at this a little longer than you Fitz, she doesn't manipulate me so easily."

"I'm telling you, she's good. She's like an emotions ninja and she just gets to you."

"Yea well she's not that good."

When Fitz woke up to Elijah crying that night, he reached out to make sure Olivia was awake, but found her side of the bed empty. Sitting up, he turned to see if he noticed a dim light coming from the bathroom, but saw nothing that would prove she was inside. He got out of bed and scooped Elijah up and placed him down just a quickly before unswaddling him and changing his diaper. Stopping his wails, Fitz put the pacifier in his mouth and walked out of the room and down the hall to Madison's room while bouncing the alert baby. He opened the door and peeked inside. He laughed silently at seeing the bed empty save for Scooter who was resting peacefully in the large bed. But he knew better.

"Scooter, down!" Fitz whispered harshly, making sure the dog knew he wasn't happy with him. Once Scooter was on his own bed on the floor, Fitz left the door open before moving back in the direction he'd come from, towards the nursery. He opened the door and was a little shocked to see Olivia in the glider, still moving back and forth with Madison passed out, straddling her body. He knew he would win. Their daughter was too good to be ignored. Kneeling down, Fitz put his hand on the chair to halt the unconscious movements and tapped Olivia's arm to wake her up.

"Livvie, wake up baby."

"Hmm?" was her only response as her eyes opened and focused on Fitz and their baby boy in his arms. He was sucking on the pacifier with determination.

"He's ready for you."

"Okay" It wasn't until that moment that she fully realized where she was and noticed the weight on top of her. She looked up at Fitz knowing that she had indeed lost the bet.

"So laundry, huh?"

"Ughhhhh," Olivia began groaning in disapproval. "… she's good. She's a brat, but damn she's good."

* * *

**Thank you guys for reading! Hope you enjoyed just a peek in their life now. The shower thing- really anything I write, I've witnessed, seen, done, said or thought of but it's something realistic. I just got back from visiting my godkids and the sixth one (you read that right-6!) was just born and at two weeks my friend showered and after he pooped everywhere her husband brought him in and she ended up nursing him while they showered. She's only done it twice cuz she's afraid of falling or something and they don't have a bench in their like in the story but I wanted to add that in. Hope you guys will let me know what you think and I hope it all came out clear. In case people are confused- remember Madison was starting her final year at Apple Creek Preschool with the new teacher Mrs. Houser- the one she had a rough time with but things got better. So the chapters moved along with the pregnancy and little man was born in May and soon enough it'll be their second year wedding anniversary, Madison's 5****th**** bday, Fitz's bday and the start of Kindergarten! Wow! Moving along right? Thanks for reading! Leave a review!**

**Jen**


	23. Chapter 22

_**And I would fight my strength to untape my mouth  
When I used to be afraid of the words  
But with you I've learnt just to let it out  
Now my heart is ready to burst  
'Cause I, I feel like I'm ready for love  
And I wanna be your everything and more  
And I know every day I say it  
But I just want you to be sure  
That I am yours**_

_**-Yours – Ella Henderson**_

**AN: Thank you guys so much for your patience while I've got so much on my plate with school and work. It doesn't go unnoticed. **

**I did want to address a review I received from a guest on the last chapter and I hate to do this because it makes the chapter seem longer than it is, but I must. I respect every reviewers opinion, but also have the right to disagree and state my peace. They said how much they weren't feeling Madison- which is fine- but then said she's very bratty and how with some kids it's cute but hers is just annoying. I took that too heart probably much more than I should have but being someone that works with children, and studies them, I have to stand up for the kid. Not only have I observed kids in Madison's situation- she came from a broken home where she was emotionally abused by her father at a young age, and to a certain extent physically as well. She was neglected in his care and has had attachment issues that aren't secure and stable. The only man in her life treated her like crap and her attachment to her mother is severely strong and beautiful. Madison now has a father that loves her. He takes care of her and adores her and she has a family that she is thriving in. Her wanting to be in the room with her parents and brother- which it was really about her being near him because she loves him- is the most normal thing. As a nanny I see it happen when the new baby comes and if it didn't happen, there is a small cause for concern. **

**IMO Madison isn't bratty. She has her moments of disobedience and whining just like every kid does, but she's been raised by her mother and aunt that catered to her but also gave her the right amount of discipline and guidance. Plus…. SHE'S 4. IF she acts bratty, by nature, her cognitive development, her social development, and her history, she has every right to. She is four (five in this chapter, surprise!) and is still learning impulse control, to not use threatening words and to slowly learn to put herself in someone else's shoes. She can't see why it would bother her parents to not get enough sleep and she's not supposed to at her age. So I'm sorry if they came off wrong, and I know that Madison is JUST a fictional character, but TRUST me, I've seen many Madison's and we are surrounded by them daily. I really hope you wouldn't judge a kid that you saw acting out just from that one encounter because you don't know them and what's going on with them. This story isn't just Olivia and Fitz's journey, but also a journey for Madison. **

**Someone asked about Fitz old job and the Mellie situation. Remember when Fitz was doing the ER job, it was just until November when the private practice he would working at with old colleagues was up and running. He quit early and instead of leaving at the end of October, I believe he left around August/September which was fine and they decided they would be fine financially with him not working for a month or so. What happened to Mellie after that complaint? You'll have to see if we find out. **

**To everyone else, thank you for the reviews for the last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one. Like I said before, this story is coming to a close- not sure how many chapters left, but I'll keep you posted. I've already written the final scene (not including the epilogue) and smiled and laughed about it as well. Love and Freedom still has a long life ahead and I already have my next story plotted out and written down. Thanks again for joining me! Jen**

* * *

"Fitz we can't."

"I'm pretty sure we can, Livvie. Or should I rephrase that and say I'm pretty sure you want to."

"You don't know what I..."

She gasped at the feeling of his finger pressing down against her soaked slit. There was no denying how much she wanted him because her body was a complete tattle tell. No matter how hard she tried to fight it, the second she'd walked in on her husband jerking off in the shower that morning, Olivia wanted nothing but him.

She had only been shocked for a moment before instincts that had been stowed away suddenly were free and she was on her knees taking him into her mouth. She had sucked him hard, relishing in the veiny, thick meat in her mouth that she hadn't touched in weeks. Being on her knees in front of her sexy, pleasure induced husband made Olivia realize how much she'd missed that aspect of their relationship since giving birth and to be honest a little bit before then. It had been nearly two months since he'd been inside her or Olivia touched him in such a way and she wondered who missed who more. She allowed him to come in her mouth, making sure he wasn't able to pull back as his release approached and the second he understood her purpose, he took full advantage. It had been a while and Olivia nearly gagged at the way his dick fucked her mouth in the final second before he came. Fitz held her face gently before his fingers pressed harder into her smooth skin as his pace increased, his balls hitting her chin and forcing him to jerk uncontrollably into the back of her throat.

His fluid was thick and warm after such a long hibernation and he gave short, smooth thrusts until he was empty and ready for her to release him. Fitz leaned his arm against the tile in front of him and rested his head against it to catch his breath. He had been completely caught off guard but was damn happy his wife had chosen that moment to come into the bathroom.

Since then, he had been trying to get her to cave all day but wasn't having the best luck. He figured she wanted to wait until the kids were asleep, but nap time had come and gone with Fitz still walking around the house hard as a rock. The second he knew for a fact that Madison was sleep and she had gotten Elijah down, Fitz pounced.

"You want this Livvie. Just give in, it's not like we can't."

"Technically we can't. My sixth week appointment isn't for another four days and I'm supposed to wait till I'm cleared."

"She's gonna say what I've been saying all day. If it hurts too bad, don't do it. We don't need to wait until she says we can do it."

"But.." Olivia began before he interrupted her with his fingers spreading her lower lips apart and stilling his fingers. She felt him throw the comforter away from her legs and open her leg up wider before spreading her once again.

"Besides if you want a doctor to check on you down there, I'm free and more than willing."

He dipped his middle finger and inserted into her pussy, watching as she threw her head back and bite unmercifully at her bottom lip as a second finger joined.

"I'd stare at your sweet pussy for hours before declaring it completely edible Livvie." Fitz brought his free hand under her torso before easing his long fingers under her camisole and grabbing for her breast.

The second he touched her breast, Olivia squeezed her thighs tightly around his hand and whimpered in appreciation for everything he was making her feel.

"Once I drink every ounce of you Livvie, I'd pull HIM out just so you could know what you wanted."

Olivia felt his fingers slide out of her and in the next second her body automatically recoiled from the over-stimulating sensation of Fitz's bare, thick flesh being pressed along her slit. She allowed gravity to bring her body back down before his dick had her recoiling again.

"He just wants to be near your pussy, Livvie. All he wants to do is lay there."

She felt him reach between their legs and bring his dick up so that the tip was positioned at the top of her lips while the remainder of him almost absently rested against the outer walls of her pussy, stimulation in fact being non-existent.

Fitz continued to squeeze her nipples and heard her intake of breath at the same time he felt moisture fall onto his fingers, causing something in him to snap. Suddenly he needed more.

Fitz thrust his hips forward, causing Olivia to cry out as he pushed his dick into her lips, causing such an animalistic feeling for the both of them. He continued to move his hips further into her and leaned over her body while bringing her left breast up to his mouth and sucking hard.

"AHHHH shit!" Olivia shouted as she felt herself orgasm from the intense pleasure both her clit and breast were experiencing.

Fitz continued his ministrations against her pussy and breast wanting her to ride it out until she came again, but in his mouth. Releasing her raw pebbled nipple from his lips, he barely noticed the liquid leaking onto her skin as his tongue sought out hers and ravished her mouth while his hips still moved below. Feeling her breathing starting to slow down, Fitz brought his hand down to her clit and began his assault, rubbing against the sodden flesh until she came squirting unexpectedly. Her screams were hushed by his mouth completely covering hers, making sure his tongue was free to move about every crevice of her mouth, leaving their lips a sloppy wet mess. The second her screams were no longer piercing and her body began trembling with her third unexpected orgasm, Fitz moved from behind her and was in between her thighs, lapping up every drop of her juices that flowed so freely.

When he was finally finished licking her nearly raw, Fitz stayed between her legs and moved up her body until he was face to face with her chest and gave each, still erect nipple, attention. He tried to force himself to stop, knowing that he was honestly taking his son's fill, but his Livvie tasted so sweet. It's not like he was straight drinking her milk, but the taste of it on his lips and in his mouth left him wanting more of everything that was her.

"How is it that every part of you tastes sweet?"

She didn't answer and Fitz knew it was too much for her to comprehend at the moment. It was just seconds later that Fitz felt Olivia shift and her grip around his rock hard dick was suddenly demanding.

"Be gentle with me first baby..."

Olivia panted trailing off as she fisted him a few times before guiding him to the entrance of her now sopping pussy.

"First?" Fitz repeated as he leaned in to brush his lips against hers. "Then what do you want me to do?"

Olivia's teeth making contact with his lips cause his hips to buck forward, entering her in one thrust. Olivia felt her hips rise off the bed as she willed her walls to expand in order to accommodate his award-winning size. _It had been far too long. _She felt his fingers on her clit encouraging her to come so her walls could expand and a second later his dick was securely lodged deep into her pussy as she panted beneath him. Olivia opened her eyes after a few moments of them simply being connected again and kissed her husband deeply, conveying all the love and trust she had for this man in every aspect of their marriage before she pulled away and reached to pull at his hair.

"That was you being gentle. Now I want you to fuck me hard."

_**Four and a half months later.**_

The house was a mess. When Olivia went to bed last night, she knew it was only best to pretend her house didn't look the way she'd left it in order for her to get substantial rest. She had a hyper five year old that was now in kindergarten and it still blew her mind. When late August came and they dropped Madison off for her first day of actual 'big girl school', Olivia had bawled her eyes out for the longest time. Her baby was growing up way too fast for her liking. It was just hitting mid- October and Madison was thriving in school, her teacher having nothing but great things to say about their precious girl who had transitioned well. They knew it was true. She was perfect at school and only wild for them at home. Being a quarter into the school year also meant that Olivia had a bouncing, extremely chubby five month old that was as smiley and newly vocal as ever. He was such a ham and Olivia couldn't get enough of him and neither could his daddy or sister. Or grandparents, and Auntie or anyone that came in contact with the little boy. He was a blusher and would smile largely with his mouth wide open and head turned away from the person, making his little double chin come to life each time. He still looked just like his father earning him the name FJ from his grandparents. Even Fitz found himself calling him that at times but usually referred to him as 'Big Guy' each time he laid eyes on his son or thought of him.

When Madison had gone to school on that first day, Olivia was able to debut their little boy to her students that were now in the third grade. They had all washed their hands and were allowed to touch his tiny toes while he slept peacefully in Olivia's arms. A few teachers she hadn't seen over the summer had also met him and let Olivia know she would be missed. Olivia briefly peeked into her old classroom, wishing the new teacher a great start of the school year. Her principal had allowed Olivia to meet the woman just a couple of weeks before school started and she handed over two of her biggest lesson plans that had become a core part of the curriculum for the math and science portion for second graders. She left the school missing the craziness and fast pace of the first day of school, but knew there was no way she could ever imagine dropping her baby boy off for someone else to care for him during this precious time. Olivia adored her days spent with Elijah and he was her favorite little side kick.

That's how her children were doing. Now if you asked Olivia about her husband, she'd tell you that she was beyond proud of him, but honestly missed him. His schedule had picked up tremendously in the past two months with fall weather seeming to welcome winter sooner than expected. Olivia knew that although there was a great increase of new clients they'd accepted, Fitz was pleased with the extra hours that made up for Olivia now staying home with Elijah.

But right now, Fitz wasn't feeling well. Right now, Elijah wasn't feeling well. Right now, Madison was feeling more than well. She had taken full advantage of Olivia's full attention being on Elijah and Fitz moping around the house sickly. And because of it, right now, the house was a complete mess.

Olivia opened her eyes at the sad sounds coming from the bassinette next to her bed. Elijah was congested and sounded much worse than when she had put him down last night or when she'd been up with him just after three that morning. She groaned and sat up, opting to use the bathroom before tending to the whining baby. Olivia couldn't wait to have her room back to normal once he was feeling better. She and Fitz had decided to move Elijah into his nursery and crib when he was three months and they both loved that he was sleeping through the night in there. Olivia nor Fitz had a clue as to what it is about his room, but their boy loved it and slept like a champ in there. Even in the morning instead of waking up crying, he would coo at his mobile until someone came to tend to him. The only time he was ever really fussy is when he was hungry- which was almost always- and when he wasn't feeling well, like now.

"Alright baby boy, Momma's here, I'm here." She lifted him into her arms and brought his face to hers, checking his temperature, before grabbing the thermal forehead thermometer and using it on the squirming boy.

_99.9_

It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible as well. Olivia knew from experience that a high fever could be dangerous, but could be completely un-dangerous. She had rushed Madison to the ER and annoyed her pediatrician on many occasions from high fevers the thermometer would detect. He was acting semi normal and she knew to keep monitoring his fever, his eating and his breathing for the next few hours before making any rash decisions. Olivia made her way into the nursery to nurse him knowing she had at least twenty minutes before she had to get Madison up for school. If she took longer than that, she would certainly be tardy. Elijah ate almost as generously as he always did, but the fact that he had a stuffy nose let Olivia know she would more than likely have to pump before long.

"Baby boy did your daddy get you sick? Huh? Did he? I think he did."

"I did not"

Olivia slightly jumped at the sudden voice coming through the baby monitor that was aimed at the crib from its place on the wall. She hated when Fitz did that. It always scared the crap out of her and it happened most often if he would take a long lunch and sneak home to see them. Usually right after his second feeding, Olivia would allow him to pacify just for a few minutes as she dozed off herself until her husband's deep voice would sound through the monitor giving her chills; and not good ones.

"Face it Grant, you are overworking yourself with that busy schedule, and your immune system took a hit and you got sick from those germy kids that you see daily. Hence you getting Elijah sick."

Back in the bedroom, Fitz thought better than to argue with her after hearing her snipped voice respond to him. He had to admit that he woke up feeling worse than ever and had already planned on getting checked out today. The over the counter meds he had been taking weren't helping much at all. He had a sore body, near chills and he was almost certain a fever this morning. Yea, he had definitely gotten their boy sick and felt horrible about it.

"I'm sorry, Livvie. I'm sorry Big Guy. Daddy wants you to feel better, okay?" he said speaking hoarsely, yet softly through the monitor.

There was silence on the other end until he heard Olivia began to pat his son's back. He continued to listen, allowing himself just a few more minutes of rest, until he heard the belch through the monitor.

"_Good job My Sweet Elijah"_ Fitz heard Olivia speak followed by kissing noises. He could just picture her coating his cheeks with love as she rubbed his back a bit more with hopes of soothing any small air bubbles. "_I need to get Mads up and ready. Fitz, please go in today and get checked out."_

"I am Livvie. I'm gonna shower and head to the minute clinic to get swabbed for strep and the flu."

"_You feel worse, don't you?" _ She asked and I could hear her sighing on the other end of the monitor.

"Yea, I do."

"_I was gonna leave him here while I dropped her, but if you feel that bad then I don't want you touching him, let alone breathing on him. Let me know what they say."_

"I know and I will."

"_And Fitz?"_

"Yes?"

"_Lysol that monitor please. And the bedroom before I get back."_

"Yes ma'am. I'll throw the sheets in the wash before I leave out."

Fitz heard her footsteps leaving the room and groaned before sitting up and heading to the bathroom. He reached under the sink and grabbed the always present can of Lysol disinfectant and began a spray down of the room before turning the fan on high and opening the door and windows to air it out. Next as promised he stripped the sheets and comforter from the bed before tossing them in a heap by the door. He was panting just after doing that and he knew without a doubt he either had the flu or strep throat.

_This sucks._

"Mommy, knock-knock"

"Alright, this is the last one. Who's there?"

"Cows go."

"Cows go who?"

"No, cows go moooooooooo"

Olivia shook her head and glanced at her smiley daughter in the rear-view mirror as she cackled loudly, clearly proud of herself for telling the joke right. She focused back on the road in front of her and inched forward before officially turning into the parking lot.

"Seatbelt off?"

"Just a minute. Wait till we pass the gym door." Olivia instructed knowing she wanted to unbuckle herself as she was finally able to. They had finally switched her seat to a back-supported booster seat, happily agreeing that her weight and size were sufficient enough for a lap belt instead of a five point harness. It still took Olivia some getting used to, but Fitz had calmed her nerves about it insisting that she was still safe and that they were following the law.

"Alright, you can unbuckle now."

She was quick to do so and reached down for her backpack before maneuvering it on her back while still staying seated. She had been working on that. Olivia didn't allow her to do what she saw other parents allow. Kids would be roaming the entire vehicle in the carpool line but all it took was one person not paying attention and slamming into your car for your little one to be hurt. They had just pulled up to the start of the cones which mean that Madison was allowed out of her seat.

"Bye Lijah." She began leaning over his car seat to get closer to him.

"Mads, no kisses today sweetie. Move back a little for mommy."

"But why?" she asked, being used to kissing her brother goodbye every morning. She missed him while she was at school and hated that he couldn't come with her.

"Because he's got a little cold and I don't want you to get a cold too." Olivia explained to Madison. She did her best not to laugh at the offended look her daughter was giving her. That was her baby brother who she kissed whenever she wanted, invading his personal space on an hourly basis.

"Can I kiss his piggies?" she asked being obedient, but hopeful.

"Yes you can." Olivia smiled watching her head lean down and kiss his feet that were completely covered by his sleeper she'd decided not to change him out of. When she leaned up, Olivia pulled up to the next cone before hitting the unlock button so the door could be opened. She spread her right arm wide and leaned over the middle console to pull her daughter close, whispering a short prayer in her ear before telling her she loved her.

"I love you too, Mommy." Madison said as she moved from her embrace before leaning in to kiss her lips quickly as the door was opened.

"Good morning Miss Madison!" the woman greeted.

"Good morning Coach Kearn!"

"Bye Mommy!" She waved one last time before she was helped from the car and Olivia was told to have a nice day. She eased out of the parking lot at the slow pace of the school zone until she was two blocks away and allowed to go the normal speed limit. Hearing little coughs coming from behind her broke her heart and she knew she'd have to tend to him the second they got to the house.

She pulled into the garage and got Elijah out just minutes later with Scooter waiting patiently in the laundry room the second she walked in.

"Hey Scoots. Watch out buddy." She maneuvered the car seat through the small space and plopped it down near the couch before standing up and stretching. Scooter came towards her and nudged her hand with his nose and whined before running to the backdoor.

"Buddy, did your sick daddy forget to give you water and food before he left out? I'm sorry buddy."

Olivia finally realized what he wanted. He never whined unless it was for food. Either her dog was like her baby or her baby was like her dog. She grabbed a scoop of food from the large container before opening the backdoor and pouring it in. She moved quickly once she heard a few more coughs coming from the car seat and got water for Scooter before closing the door and leaving him to enjoy his breakfast and do his morning business afterwards.

"Alright, I'm coming."

Olivia cooed at the whimpering baby while releasing him from the restraints before she lifted him onto her shoulder and stood up straight. As his face was pressed against hers, she noticed that he felt a little warmer than just an hour ago when she checked him. His little coughs grew more intense and she knew she'd have to take him in sooner or later. She paced the room, keeping her pace steady to comfort him and pulled out her phone to call Fitz's office for an appointment. He had been right about their specific infant pediatricians and once Elijah was born, Olivia had immediately started taking him to Kate Lester who was one of their infant doctors. Madison had continued with Fitz as her doctor and they all preferred it. He still didn't give her shots like most of the doctors there did. Instead he would use one of the few nurses they had working there to do the dirty work. Olivia hung up the phone after setting the appointment for the only free time Kate had that day which was just after three that afternoon. That meant that if she couldn't get Catherine to pick up Madison for her, then she would have to pick her daughter up from school early in order to get to the appointment on time.

Bringing Elijah down from her shoulder, Olivia saw that contrary to what she assumed, he was still wide awake and looking very…..not like her little baby. He just looked out of it, and she didn't like it at all. She was more than ready to take him in, but knew she had to wait for the appointment and there was no way she was taking him to the ER unless things were worse. Walking him over to the swing, she strapped him inside before turning the motion on low and clicking the white noise on. Olivia went into the laundry room and switched the sheets from the washer to the dryer before restarting the washer on the sanitize cycle and throwing their comforter inside as well as Elijah's sheets from his bassinette.

After pouring in detergent, Olivia went to peek at Elijah before walking to the fridge and taking out the chicken she had marinating all night. She got the crockpot out from under the cabinet and plugged it in before dumping the chicken inside. She then pulled a few potatoes out from the pantry and peeled four before slicing and tossing them in as well. Next she got an onion and a handful of carrots out and chopped them before tossing them inside along with some seasoning and chicken broth. It was an easy meal that didn't take more than fifteen minutes to prepare and easy is what today required. She cleaned and sanitized the counter before washing her hands and moving back into the living room to check on Elijah. Seeing the dazed look on his face, she decided to take his temperature again and lifted him from the swing and brought him to her chest. She had barely taken a step when Elijah coughed twice before vomiting all over her, the stream going directly down the neck of her shirt.

"Shit" Olivia whispered as she felt the warm vomit running into her bra. "Baby, Mommy's so sorry you don't feel good."

Olivia felt her eyes water knowing he was sick and make-up her mind that she couldn't wait until three to take him in. She didn't want to wait for a doctor to tell her something was wrong, she could see it and she could feel it. Her son was sick. She pressed him back to her chest, holding her shirt steady in the process so nothing could spill onto the floor and walked to her bedroom. She quickly brought a towel to their bare bed and laid it out before putting Elijah atop and stripping off her shirt and tossing it into the bathroom sink. Olivia started the shower before walking into the nursery and grabbing his bouncer and brought it into the bathroom before lifting him from the bed and sitting him inside. Once he was strapped in, Olivia stripped the rest of her clothes off and stepped into the shower leaving the door open so she could see him. She would only take a quick shower to rid her skin of the vomit, and then she would take him in.

"Livvie"

Olivia leaned her head out at the sound of Fitz's voice while she washed her body a single time. Once she was rinsed off, she shut the water off and reached for her towel before stepping out and wrapping it around her body. She didn't answer him since she heard him so close, and a second later, he was in their bedroom.

"You okay?" he asked in a muffled voice, making Olivia glance up at him.

She immediately noticed he was wearing a white face mask and carried a bag from the CVS up the street.

"What did they say?" Olivia asked, looking him up and down.

"I tested positive for strep."

"Dammit Fitz! This is why he's sick. You wouldn't slow down like I suggested and now not only are you sick, but our son is sick as well. I don't want to have a sick baby."

Olivia moved past him and over to Elijah and lifted the bouncer into her arms. She walked slowly as she carried it into the bedroom and placed it on the bed, catching her towel just as it was slipping from her body.

"Did he throw up? What's his temperature?" Fitz asked moving closer to his son, but stopped short when Olivia sent him a glare.

"Yes, all over me, hence the shower. I need to get dressed, then change him before we leave. I'm taking him in."

"Can I do it?"

She looked at him carefully, moving to grab a bra and pair of panties from her drawer while she thought about his question. "Please wash your hands and keep the mask on Fitz." She said sighing before she began to strap her bra on. "Oh, and change your shirt."

Fitz nodded once before stripping his shirt off and washing his hands. Once he dried them off, he got a new shirt from his drawer and left out to get new clothes for Elijah. He came back in as Olivia was putting lotion on her arms and face. He watched her secure her rings back in their rightful places before she went to her closet and grabbed her black Toms. Knowing that he was wasting time, he moved over to Elijah and began unsnap his clothes before tossing them in a pile on the floor. He reached into the basket under the bassinette and grabbed a few wipes and a fresh diaper. Little coughs escaped Elijah's mouth as Fitz wiped his bottom before snapping the diaper on him. He didn't put his clothes on right away, and instead focused on his chest and the slight caving in between and under his ribs. He brought his hand to his chest to feel the retractions before reaching for the thermometer he saw on the nightstand and used it.

_101.6_

"Livvie, get in the car! We need to leave now. I'm driving!"

Although his voice was muffled by the mask, Olivia heard the urgency in his voice and ran into the living room to grab the car seat before bringing it back. Fitz had just pushed Elijah's left leg into the sleeper and zipped it up. He slid his hand under Elijah's head and lifted him up before depositing him into the car seat and securing the straps.

"Livvie, get his bag and get in the car."

She listened to his words and grabbed her bag as well before getting into the car. He was right behind her, clicking the car seat into the base and climbing in the front seat. He wasted no time tearing down the street once he was finally out of the garage, heading in the opposite direction of his office.

Olivia sat in the back with Elijah, keeping her hand over his chest to assure herself that he was still breathing. She was scared beforehand, but the way Fitz spoke to her and insisted on driving them made her realize that her baby boy was worse off than before. She had seen the reading of his temperature and it was scary. As sick as Fitz was right now, she was happy that he was with her and that she hadn't had to leave without him.

"Where are we going?" Olivia asked, noticing him go north on the highway instead of east.

"The ER."

"We need to go to your office, Fitz. The ER is just full of sick people and their germs that he doesn't need to be exposed to."

"Liv, his chest should not be retracting like that. He's probably got RSV and he needs to be admitted right away, given oxygen and started on an IV. Watch his lips and his fingertips and make sure they're not blue. Are they?"

Olivia was quiet for a second as she followed his instructions and checked him over.

"No he's not blue at all."

Her tears ran freely down her face just at the seriousness of RSV and she prayed that he didn't have it. She kept her gaze on Elijah for the rest of the car ride and once Fitz parked the car, he was out and helping Olivia out of the car before grabbing the car seat. He jogged toward the sliding doors and went to the counter letting them know he needed to be seen right away. The receptionist asked questions, but Fitz threw out many names, demanding to be taken back right away until Olivia interrupted them.

"My son is five months old and he's got a fever of one-hundred and one-point six, he's having trouble breathing and had a bad cough. Please see him now."

The nurse opened the door and ushered them inside of the small room and handed Olivia a clipboard of forms before leading them back into a curtained room.

"Fill this out. I'll page the doctor right away and a nurse should be in any second."

Fitz sat the seat on the bed and Olivia passed him the clipboard before lightly shoving him away from their son.

"You do this."

Olivia unstrapped the restraints and lifted him from the seat before sitting on the bed and laying him on her lap. She looked at his dazed eyes and unzipped his clothes so she was able to watch his chest as he breathed. Olivia leaned back on the bed and brought him to her chest as she began to silently pray for her baby. Fitz stayed in his spot filling out the paperwork while glancing at Olivia and Elijah between lines. It was about ten minutes after the nurse had taken all the paperwork and gotten insurance information that five nurses came in and started working on Elijah. One checked his vital immediately as Olivia held him. Once his vitals were taken, a second nurse took blood while the third started him on oxygen. The fourth nurse to prod at her little boy started him on an IV drip as the fifth one simply spoke to Olivia and Fitz about everything they were doing and information they were getting.

Beginning to feel claustrophobic from the crowded room, Fitz stepped past the curtain and a few feet down the hall to call his mother's cell.

"Hi hunny," Catherine answered happily. "did you finally go to the doctors? Are you feeling better? You don't sound so good."

"I went this morning and I have strep, but Mom, listen. Elijah is in the hospital and I …"

"What's wrong?"

"I think it's RSV but.."

"What's that?"

Fitz sighed and ran his hands over his face in annoyance.

"It's a virus mom but it's also a disease. Just listen. I need to know if you can get Madison from school and keep her."

"Of course! Do you want me to bring her home tonight or take her to school in the morning and you guys can pick her up from there?"

"Mom, you're not getting it. RSV is a serious respiratory virus. Elijah can barely breathe and will be admitted for however long they see fit. I don't know when we can get Madison so just tell me if you can or not. If not I'll find someone who can."

"Fitzgerald Thomas! I know you're worried about your son, but I will not be spoken to like that. I will go and get my granddaughter from school and keep her until you tell me otherwise."

"Mom, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that, I just….." Fitz began to choke up and turned in another direction to walk further away from the crowded triage. "He got sick because of me. This is my fault and I know Liv is pissed at me so I don't want to take any chances with Madison. I already landed one kid in the hospital. I need to keep the other one healthy."

"Fitzgerald, it doesn't matter who's at fault. You're both worried sick about him and it's completely understandable. He's going to be fine. Is he in a room yet? Can we visit later?"

"Not yet, I'm guessing soon. I'll let you know what they say about visitors, but not Madison. She's been at the house with me and could probably be carrying something. I hate even making her come to your house but she can't stay with me while I'm sick. I won't be contagious after I'm forty-eight hours in for my meds."

"We will be fine. We have some medicine here just in case and I'll load her up with vitamin C. Let me know which room and I'll try to visit later tonight. Give Olivia and FJ my love and stay calm, my boy. I love you."

"Love you too and thanks Mom."

Fitz stuffed the phone back in his pocket before stepping into the bathroom next to him and running cold water over his face and drying it off. When he was finished he went back into their exam room to see all the nurses had cleared out. He also noticed that Olivia was now wearing a face mask and he knew she must have been instructed to. He walked over to the small drawer before finding a fresh face mask and throwing out the other one and sanitizing his hands.

"What all did they say?" he finally asked, looking at Olivia who was sitting quietly with Elijah lying in the crook of her arm.

"What time is it?" Olivia asked quietly, ignoring his question. Elijah had finally stopped screaming from all the prodding and shots they'd done and she didn't want to disturb his almost sleep stage. Her five month old had a breathing mask on and it broke her heart to see him so weak and out of it. He had just stopped reaching for the mask to pull it off and she hoped he would simply rest.

"It's almost two."

"Someone needs to get Madison."

"I already called mom and she's getting her and keeping her until we're back home."

"I don't want her getting sick too."

"I know that. Neither do it. She knows I don't want her at the house at all. Did they say anything?"

"He has RSV and Bronchiolitis. They're moving us to a room soon and he's being officially admitted. His oxygen levels were only at seventy-one percent but they're slowly rising. The IV should help with his fatigue and they'll start him on meds once he's in pediatrics. They just want his levels to rise first."

Fitz nodded his head before sitting down in the chair that was next to her.

"I'm so sorry, Liv. I didn't mean for this to happen. I'll never forgive myself if he isn't okay."

Olivia finally turned to look at him and saw the tears pooling in his eyes. She knew he was beating himself up over this, but she honestly didn't have the strength to comfort him right now. She was a mess herself and knew that there was going to be a long road ahead of them.

"He's going to be fine."

He thought she was going to say more, but the nurse walked in, letting them know it was time to move Elijah.

"I'm sorry Mr. Grant, your wife informed us that you tested positive for strep and in order for us to ensure you both that Elijah gets the proper treatment he needs and is in the safest and most sterile environment, I'm afraid I can't allow you into our pediatrics ward."

"I understand. I have my meds at home that I will start as soon as I get home. Once I'm not contagious will I be allowed to visit? Any clue on how long he'll be here?"

"I'm sorry sir, I can't give you a length of time but we will not release him until the virus is gone and his oxygen is over ninety percent. But as far as visiting him, it's our policy that you need to be non-contagious for at least forty-eight hours.

_Two whole days free of strep plus the twenty-four hours it would take to become non-contagious. This was going to be hell._

Fitz watched as the nurse instructed Olivia to move more into the middle of the bed and to just keep a hold on Elijah as she and another nurse wheeled the bed down the hall. Before they went through the double doors, Olivia turned one final time to look at Fitz, doing her best to convey that she loved him and would update him as much as possible.

Fitz stayed as patient as he could manage waiting to hear back from Olivia, but she'd never returned. There was only a small part of him that expected her to anyway. He could tell by looking at her that she was terrified and needed him, but he also knew that she wouldn't dare leave Elijah alone even if it was just to come let him know what was going on with his son. Checking his watch, Fitz saw that another 15 minutes had passed and came to the conclusion that Olivia was not going to come out. Fitz wasn't upset because he knew she needed to tend to their son. Making his way to the other end of the hospital where the emergency room was, Fitz pulled out his phone to text Olivia.

_I know you're busy with Elijah and the doctors but please keep me updated Livvie. I know this is my fault and I'm so sorry for bringing this sickness into our home and get our baby sick. Just please let me know what's going on with him. I'm going back home to start on my meds and I can call Abby for you and have her come up. I'm sorry baby. Please kiss Elijah for me and tell him that I love him so much. I love you too Livvie. _

Her response was almost immediate.

_I love you too. I'm not mad at you Fitz, I just wish you could be here with me. He knows his daddy loves him. I'll call you as soon as we are settled in and let you know what they say. I already sent Abby a text while they were checking his vitals again and she'll be up soon. I love you baby. Get some rest._

Rest? There was no way he would be resting know that his son was in the hospital sick. Olivia said she wasn't mad at him, but Fitz was beyond angry with himself. He should've known better and been more careful with his own health knowing he had two kids and a wife at home that he could get sick.

When Fitz arrived home, he immediately brought Scooter in from out back, grateful that it wasn't too cold out because he would've felt horrible about him being gone for so long. He was happy to see Fitz, but the minute he realized he was alone, Scooter begin to whine in the hallway outside of Madison's room. She was always his go to, followed by Olivia then him.

"They won't be home for a while buddy, I'm sorry."

Fitz grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before reaching under the cabinet and grabbing a new bone out and tossing it to Scooter.

That should keep him busy for a while.

Stripping his clothes off as he walked towards his room, Fitz threw them in a pile knowing everything he'd touched would be getting sanitized once he was completely contagious free. He went into the bathroom to turn the shower on before going to the bed where he'd dropped his pharmacy bag and shook out the correct dosage and took it. He hopped into the shower, knowing the steam would help with his congestion and stuffy nose. Once Fitz was done with his shower, he put on a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt before checking his phone for any missed calls or texts. Seeing that he had none, he turned the volume all the way up and left his bedroom to go to the linen closet for a fitted sheet. Once he all but forced the sheet onto his bed, Fitz plopped down face first willing his phone to ring with an update on his baby boy. He was just entering a deep sleep when his phone rang, causing him to jump up and answer it before the second ring could come.

"Livvie?" he answered hopefully without checking the caller ID.

"No honey, it's Mom."

"Oh, "he sighed defeated. "Hey mom, I thought you were Liv. Did you get Madison?"

"Yes we just got out of the school zone and are headed to the house so we wanted to give you a call. Here she is."

Fitz heard the phone being handed off and a second later, he breathed a sigh of relief at his little girls voice.

"Hi Daddy! Are you at work? Where are Mommy and Lijah? They always pick me up."

"Hi best girl, how are you?"

"Good! At school we made a tree for our family and we have to put pictures on it. Grandma said she's gonna help me make it."

"That sounds like a lot of fun baby girl."

"Mmhmmm. Where's you and mommy and Lijah?"

Fitz squeezed the bridge of his nose, warding off the tears that rushed to his eyes at the mention of his helpless little boy. He also thought of his wife that was handling it all alone. Fitz braced himself for the questions his daughter was about to spout out in her sad little voice.

"Mommy had to take Lijah to the doctor because he's sick and I'm at home."

"Is he sick like you? Are they gonna give him a shot? I wanna go see him at the doctor!"

"Well he's just a baby so when he gets sick it's different and he has to stay at the doctors for a while. But mommy is with him and making sure the doctors are taking really good care of him."

"Are you going to take care of him? You're a doctor, Daddy."

"I want to, but Daddy is sick, so I can't go see him until I feel better. I don't want to pass anymore germ-bugs to him."

"I'm not sick so you can't get me more sick, Daddy.

"I know but Daddy is very sick so I need you to stay with Grammie and Poppy for a few days until I'm all better."

"I don't like it."

Fitz could picture the frown coupled with pouty lips that were for sure on her face and it honestly made him want to cry, he had a feeling he'd be doing some of that for the next few days. He would be without his family for the rest of the week and then some and that had never happened in almost two full years. Once again, he found himself pinching the bridge of his nose to keep the tears from building up.

"I know sweetheart and Daddy's sorry but I promise as soon as I'm better, you can come home okay? We can talk every morning when you wake up and I'll call you every day after school."

"Can we do videos too?"

"Of course we can as long as it's okay with Grammie and Poppy."

"Can we do a video right now, Daddy?"

"When you get to Grammie's house and eat your snack maybe we can."

"But I wanna video now please."

Fitz sighed and made himself comfortable as he touched the face time button and instructed her to press the green button. He had a feeling this would be a long video chat but as long as Madison was happy, that's all that matters.

It was a few hours later when Fitz was startled awake by the loud ringtone of his cell phone that was next to him on the bed. He hadn't realized he had fallen asleep and had to admit that even with being startled awake, he felt less exhausted than before.

" lo" he greeted in a gruff voice before clearing his throat and trying again, "Hello."

"Fitz? Did I wake you?"

"Livvie, no I'm good. Have you been calling? I'm sorry I passed out after taking my meds and facetiming with Mads for a while. Is he okay? What did they say?"

"No, I'm glad you got some rest. I hadn't realized how low my battery was and my phone died so I had to wait for Abby to get here and I finally charged it."

"Okay, how is he? Is he asleep? Did his oxygen go up?"

"He's sleep. They had this huge medical crib in here and they want him in it, but anytime I lay him down, he just freaks out and clings to me"

"He's not used to it. He's a boy that knows what he likes."

"Yea, so he's just on the bed with me. Do you want me to send you a picture?"

"Yea." Fitz responded instantly.

Fitz listens as she moves around a bit and a second later, his phone vibrates with an alert that there is a new photo their icloud sharing folder. That was probably their favorite feature when it came to their iPhones and taking pictures.

Fitz clicked the alert and the picture of his son popped up, bringing tears immediately to his eyes. He looked sick. The mask had been removed from his face and replaced with a small tube going into his tiny nostrils. The tubes were being held in place by two pieces of tape on his cheeks.

Olivia waited patiently on the other side of the line and wished she could see him. She knew his heart was breaking and she wanted to comfort him. She was here, physically with their little boy and her heart was breaking, so she could only imagine how painful it was for him who was so far away and knowing it would be days before he could get his hands on Elijah. Olivia pressed the green camera button on her screen, letting Fitz know that she wanted to FaceTime with him. When he hadn't accepted the invitation and his face hadn't appeared on her screen after a few minutes, Olivia let her head fall back against the hospital bed and felt fresh tears spill down her cheeks.

"Fitz, let me see you."

"No." His voice was hoarse and she knew he'd began crying after seeing their boy's pale, weak face.

"Yes. I need to see you. You can't do this Fitz, I'm already alone and you're there alone. It's already unfair all around. You can't do this to me and you can't do this to yourself."

"Olivia, I can't! It's too much.."

"You don't get to do that, Fitz!" Her voice was full of compassion but also frustration. "I'm here alone holding _your_ son in a hospital room while he's sick and crying every time someone comes near him to check his vitals or ask if I need anything. It's too much for _ME_! You're my husband and I need to feel like you're in this with me."

That statement hit Fitz hard and he accepted the FaceTime request without a second thought. His eyes were red as he lay on his stomach with the phone propped up against the headboard of their bed.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could be there with you and him and I'm sorry I can't."

"I know you would be here if you could I know that you wouldn't let go of him for even a second. I also know that you're thinking of Sarah and Addy."

"Addy almost died from RSV. A part of me doesn't want to even think about this happening to my son. Just the thought of him getting as bad as Addy did..."

"Babe, you can't think like that. I need you, we need you to be strong..."

"That's the thing Livvie, I honestly don't know if I can be the strong one through this. I've never been more afraid in my life. That's my boy."

Fitz was being vulnerable with her, and Olivia appreciated it. She took a deep breath and scooted up on the bed, adjusting Elijah when he began to stir in her arms.

"Hi baby boy." She spoke softly to the baby, placing the phone directly in his line of vision. "Are you waking up? Do you hear your Daddy talking? Can you say hi to Daddy? Fitz, talk to him." Olivia quietly encouraged.

He was staring directly at Elijah, but hadn't spoken a word. Olivia could tell that he was in deep thought and knew he was trying to find the correct words to comprehend what he was feeling.

"When we lost our baby...it hurt. A lot. And at times I can still feel a little of that pain of what if... But just the _thought?_"

Fitz paused, wanting to get his thoughts together before trying to explain to her why this was so hard for him.

"I know him, Livvie. I watched him come into this world and take his first breath. I know that he prefers to lay on his stomach instead of his back. I know that he will only drink a room temperature bottle and hates milk that's warm unless it comes directly from you. He hates the sound of the ocean now and will only sleep to the white noise. He barely responds if you talk to him in a baby voice but the second he hears your actual voice, he lights up. I _know_ him, Livvie. I need him to be okay. I don't think I will survive if he's not okay."

"I know baby. I feel the same way. He's only been here for five months, but I can't imagine life without him. But Fitz, I need you to look at me and listen to me. This little boy right here, YOUR little boy, your Fitz Jr, is gonna be just fine. He's gonna be right here with me getting medicine and fluids so he's better and we can all be home, together. I don't want you to think that anything else is going to happen to him. The worst is over and he is right where he needs to be right now. I want you to rest and focus on getting better so you can come be with us."

"I'm trying."

"Good. You take care of yourself and let me be the strong one, okay? You've always taken on everything, let me be the strong one this time. Capisce?"

The single word he used with his daughter brought a smile to his face and Fitz nodded before agreeing.

"Capisce."

That night, they stayed on Facetime until a nurse came in a half an hour later and Olivia promised to call him back once they were done checking on Elijah. She didn't want Fitz to listen to their little boy's wails because she knew it would bring him down when she had finally gotten his spirits up. Elijah's levels had only gone up three percent but his doctor assured Olivia that any progress was good and that they would increase his medicine dosage once he wasn't so dehydrated.

* * *

Over the next few days, Olivia made sure each time the doctor came in and spoke to her, that she Facetimed Fitz so that he could be aware of what was happening without Olivia trying to remember every detail. Olivia's schedule over the past three days consisted of holding and comforting Elijah as he slowly warmed up to the nurses that came in every hour to check on him. She could tell which of the four nurses he warmed up to from the smiles and frowns he would give off at each of them. With the fluids they still had him on, Olivia noticed that Elijah's appetite had diminished greatly . Her normally greedy baby would barely drink a fourth of his usual fill before he was passing out or instantly uninterested in feeding any longer. Olivia hadn't planned on that happening and had Fitz pack a few things for her that Abby was able to pick up before she visited the next morning. She had brought one of the soft lunch bags along with a fresh box of nursing bags and pads along with her pump. She hadn't realized how full her breast were until she pumped the following morning and extracted nearly twenty ounces of milk to freeze. When Abby came back that evening, Olivia gathered the frozen packs into a separate bag and thanked her for being willing to drop off to Fitz at their home.

Olivia was also grateful for the consistent visitors she and Elijah had. Between Abby, Catherine, Quinn, Nicole and Jerry, Olivia was entertained while her boy got better. She was not only grateful for the familiar places for her sake, but she wanted to make sure Elijah was able to see the faces of people he knew. He had never been a baby that cried when he was in a stranger's arms, but since being admitted he had begun to notice when Olivia was not holding him and would scream until he recognized his mother's features and smell. He hadn't cried much for their visitors much with the exception of Nicole and Quinn. He smiled largely when Jerry held him and called him 'FJ'.

It was on Thursday that Fitz had taken it upon himself to sanitize and clean their home. He had been contagion free for a full twenty-four hours which meant that he would be able to see Elijah and Olivia tomorrow evening. He hadn't wanted to take any chances with Madison and decided to wait until tonight to see her. She had been chomping for him to get there, but he wanted to make sure everything was ready for when they were all back home. Fitz had rewashed all of the sheets and pillows, scrubbed the floors, sanitized the dishes, boiled Elijah's bottle supplies, teething and bath toys before doing one last Lysol spray throughout the house and opening the windows with the fans on high to air it out. Poor Scooter had spent the day outside and Fitz knew he would be happy to come back inside once the house aired out.

It was nearly six o'clock when Fitz pulled into his parent's driveway and saw Madison at the bay window waving her small hand back and forth. Her excited habit of putting her fingers into her mouth was on display and she smiled widely at her daddy as he got out of the car and grabbed his bag. He was only approaching the front door when it was opened and Madison ran past Catherine to catapult herself into Fitz's already full arms.

"Daddy, you're here!"

Her limbs were wound tightly around his neck and waist, her face buried into his neck. Fitz took the remaining steps into the house before dropping his things by the door and giving her the attention she needed and demanded.

"Best girl, I missed you so much!" his left hand held her under the thighs while his right hand was at her sides, tickling her softly as she squirmed in his embrace. Knowing she would break at any moment, Fitz leaned down and began peppering tiny kisses on her cheeks and head as the Madison's frizzy curls tickled his face.

"Oh you didn't miss me back?" he asked, continuing his assault on her tiny frame. "Cause if not, I guess I'm gonna take your present back to the store."

"No, I want a present! I missed you every day, Daddy! I missed you THIS much." She let go of his neck for the first time since she'd jumped into his arms, and stretched her arms out as wide as they could go and widened her eyes for emphasis.

"That's a lot, Mads. Guess what? Wanna know how much I missed you? Hold on tight!" she complied and tightened her legs around his waist before holding onto his shoulders just before he swung his arms out to full capacity.

"That's the mostest, Daddy! You missed me the most!"

"I did miss you the most."

Fitz brought his arms back around her and held her for a few moments while she sat still with her head resting on his chest. It had only been three days, but it felt like so much longer since he had seen his little girl and he had missed her more than he realized. He knew he missed Elijah and Olivia and figured it intensified just because he knew they were hurting, but the weight his heart felt at holding the small child in his arms was somewhat unexpected.

Throughout the night, Madison was completely attached to Fitz and refused to leave his side. He had given his parents a much needed break and while they went out to have a quiet dinner, he stayed in with his little girl and did nearly anything she wanted. They played Candyland and Fitz cheated so that she would win, knowing he'd do it for the rest of her life if she gave him the same smile she had when she reached the top of the board. They colored and played with playdough before Fitz completely bent the rules and they made Donies together and ate them as dinner while they watched Frozen. The three hours he'd spent with Madison wore him out in the best possible way and once bath time was over, Fitz got her ready for bed.

"But Daddy, I don't want you to go." She said as Fitz stood at the door with his overnight bag in his hand.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't leave daddy, you said you were gonna sleep over here like me."

Fitz sat his things down by the door before walking back over to Madison who was leaning up on her elbows with a large bonnet on her head. She wore it specifically when she slept someplace that wasn't home because she usually didn't have a satin pillowcase to control her hair. He sat next to her on the queen sized bed and leaned down to kiss her forehead before running a finger over her furrowed brow. He felt her tiny hand grab a hold of his shirt sleeve before she laid back against the pillow.

"I'm gonna go take a shower and then I'll be right back okay?"

He noticed the longer he smoothed his hands over her forehead, the more frequently her eyes closed.

"I promise baby girl. I'm gonna come right back in here with you."

She seemed to accept that answer and let go of his sleeve before turning on her side and lying down.

Fitz hated that she just assumed he was leaving even though he had already explained to her that he was staying the night with her. He had left the house late enough to where Scooter would be fine overnight, but also early enough to spend time with Madison before her bedtime. He had already planned to stay the night at his parents with Madison while the upper windows in the house were open while it aired out. Scooter was stashed away in Madison's room which hadn't been Lysol'd to death and he'd swing by to let him out as soon as he dropped Madison off at school. Tomorrow afternoon he planned to go to the hospital and he was itching to get there. He cleaned himself off in the shower, deciding that now was not the time to think of his beautiful wife and knew that they'd have some alone time again once they were home and things were settled down. If he was honest with himself, he'd admit to already having dreams about pulling her into a bathroom and quickly having his way with her the second he laid eyes on her. He missed his wife terribly and couldn't wait to kiss her lips swollen.

Fitz didn't go directly back into the room once he was dressed, instead he peaked in to see Madison sleeping before grabbing his headphones and going out back to facetime Olivia. He was surprised when Abby answered the video call, but smiled seeing the tiny boy in her arms. Fitz said hi to Abby before asking where Olivia was and what the noise was that he was hearing. He got his answer when Abby moved the phone to her left and he saw Olivia sitting on the bed with two pumps suctioned to her breasts and bottles attached.

"Hi pervy husband of mine." He faintly heard her call to him and he laughed loudly.

"Hey now, keep the camera on her, I don't mind the site at all." He said once Abby turned the camera back to Elijah.

"You would say that. You're right, Liv he's being pery again."

"I don't think it's pervy, I just miss my wife and that means the girls as well."

"Ugh, this conversation is becoming too much for my ears. It's one thing when_ she_ is saying things about you but this is just weird now. Liv hurry up over there so I can get out of here. I do NOT need to be here when you start the phone sex."

"We don't.."

"Eh! Don't even, because you _know_ she told me."

Fitz laughed and shook his head, knowing his ears were bright red from embarrassment. He spoke to Abby and Elijah until Olivia was done and once she said her goodbye's to Abby, they spoke for just a while longer before telling one another how excited they were to see each other the following day.

The next morning, it took everything Fitz had to convince Madison to let go of his leg so he could leave her school. He had accepted her request of walking her to her classroom and realized it was a mistake the second she reached up to hug him. He cautiously picked her up and once she was lifted from the ground, her legs locked around his waist in a death grip and he spent the next seven minutes detaching himself from her with the help of her teacher. They hadn't had a tear fest like that since the first day they left her, and he hated leaving her. When he had finally climbed into bed last night, Madison had snuggled into his side and awakened for a second before telling him that she missed her mommy and brother. He knew things would be back to normal in no time and that she would be okay. He only had a few things to do before he would be heading to the hospital and once he did them, he was on the way.

It didn't take Fitz long to get to the hospital seeing as though he'd sped the entire way. He had his overnight bag on his shoulder and a bouquet of orange-ish yellow Dahlia's in a clear vase. He knew he couldn't bring any stuffed animals for Elijah because of germs and Olivia assured him that Elijah seeing him was more than enough. Fitz waited in the nurse's office after getting swabbed and when she came back with the all clear, he was led to Pediatrics before going the rest of the way alone.

Fitz didn't know why he felt nervous, but he did. He had changed his shirt twice after noticing that one was a bit wrinkled and put on what Olivia always called his "right there" jeans. _When you wear those, I always can't help but look right there._ She'd usually smack his ass and he'd instantly return the favor. He double checked his texts from her for the room number before he knocked lightly and opened the door. He saw her sitting on the bed with Elijah wide awake on her lap and a book in her hand.

"Look who's here baby."

Fitz moved to sit the flowers and bag down before going to the bed and sitting on the edge of it, near Olivia's feet. She pushed against the remote control, lifting the back of the bed towards Fitz and smiled at his raised eyebrows.

"Hi."

"Hi."

Not being able to wait any longer, Fitz leaned forward and pecked at her bottom lip for a few seconds, one hand keeping her face still and the other moving to rest against Elijah's arm. Olivia gripped his bicep with her left hand while her right hand warmed at the feeling of his hand being near hers. Wanting more, Olivia opened her mouth and licked at his lips before they were opened and her tongue was welcomed home. They kissed hungrily for a few seconds, allowing breaths in between before diving back in and when Fitz pulled away for the final time, Olivia had tears on her cheeks from their reunion.

"Hi beautiful. How are you?"

"A lot better now. We missed you. Look buddy."

Fitz moved back and opened his arms for Elijah. He cooed at the little boy and kissed his forehead the second he was in his arms.

"Smudgers, I missed you buddy."

He kissed his face a few times before lifting him onto his shoulder and standing up with him.

Olivia watched on as Elijah became squirmy while Fitz walked around with him. She knew he was trying not to cry and wanted to just take her time and breathe him in. Olivia had missed just watching them together and continued to watch him try to soothe Elijah who was now fully crying. She gets up and walks over to them, wanting to calm him down. She knew he was worked up from being jostled around by Fitz but he hadn't known any better and Olivia wasn't going to stop him from walking around with him. She realized that his schedule had changed and it was getting close to being his lunch and nap time.

"Fitz?"

He turned around to look at her, but his brows were furrowed and his eyes were full of frustration. Fitz had never had much trouble getting Elijah to calm down and the fact that his presence alone was upsetting his son made him feel useless.

"Do you want to take him?"

"Hey look at me. This is your boy. I don't want to take him. With anyone else, I would but not with you. Take care of him, Fitz like only you can."

Fitz appreciated the words from his wife and knew she was being honest. He was Elijah's father and this wasn't a time he needed his wife to take over, rather it was a time when he needed to be a dad and comfort his son. He moved back to the bed and sat down before adjust the back and got comfortable. After double checking that it was okay for him to lay this way, Fitz laid Elijah against his chest and began rubbing his back in gentle circles before he began to sing their song.

_Close your eyes,  
Have no fear,  
The monsters gone,  
He's on the run and your daddy's here,_

Beautiful,  
Beautiful, beautiful,  
Beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,  
Say a little prayer,  
Every day in every way,  
It's getting better and better,

Beautiful,  
Beautiful, beautiful,  
Beautiful Boy

Olivia sat next to Fitz on the bed and moved so that she was as close as she could get to him before she laid her head on his chest, facing a now sleeping Elijah.

"And there's the magic touch. Only Daddy's voice puts him out that fast."

Fitz chuckled softly knowing she was right. Infact, Elijah's cries always got worse when Olivia would sing to him, but Fitz singing that particular song in his baritone voice lulled their baby boy to sleep every time.

"He missed his daddy almost as much as I did."

"I missed him and his momma more than you'll ever know."

Fitz lifted her chin towards him and kissed her lips, feeling completely content and satisfied in that moment. He finally realized that everything was in fact going to be alright.

* * *

**AN: Okay! Who is still breathing after that episode? NOT ME! It was everything! Olivia CHOOSING Fitz was LIFE! A few things:**

**Capisce= "capeesh" just in case you didn't know. I just tried to spell it correctly this time.**

**The song at the end, I just found and fell in love with it. John Lennon's Beautiful Boy. Check it out. Leave a review and let me know what you think. This was a definitely, I felt a Fitz heavy chapter and just something I wanted to touch on. My godson had RSV when he was three weeks old and again when he was eleven months old. Scary for an infant to have it. I hope I conveyed that. This was different for me to write since they were apart nearly the entire chapter. I hope you still enjoyed it. And if not, go watch Scandal and you'll be okay! Thanks!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Rockin' around the Christmas tree  
Let the Christmas spirit ring  
Later we'll have some pumpkin pie  
And we'll do some caroling**

**You will get a sentimental feelin' when you hear**  
**Voices singing let's be jolly**  
**Deck the halls with boughs of holly**

**Rocking Around The Christmas Tree**

**AN: Hi guys! It's been a while! Thank you guys for your patience. I know I didn't add it on here, but I posted on twitter how I was in the final month of college before graduation and would not update anymore until then, but would just focus on school. Well I'm pleased to say that I graduated Dec 12 with a 4.0 and I was so proud of myself! Thank you to everyone that wished me good luck! So I finally finished writing this chapter last week- I had been sneaky and wrote a lot during my "break" because things would just come to me, but it's finally ready! I hope you like it. I'll be working on Love and Freedom this week as well. The next chapter has already been started. **

**Lastly I'd like to say that this story is coming to a close. After this chapter, there will be one final chapter before the epilogue and man does that make me cry. This is my very first Scandal fanfic and it's my baby. I can't believe it's nearly over. I will say if there's something you've always wanted to see happen or just assumed happened in this story let me know and it might make its way in there before it's all over. I appreciate all of my readers and know that I wouldn't have continued writing if it weren't for you all reading and reviewing. My newest story is already in the works, and I'll be posting a peak of it at the very end of the epilogue. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Fitz arrived home from work carrying two medium pizza's his wife had instructed him to get. He was greeted by Scooter who was happily wagging his tail and once Fitz responded, the dog ran down the hall and sat in front of the master bedroom's door. Fitz shook his head as he took his coat off and hung it in its rightful place in the laundry room, then dropped the pizza's on the kitchen island. Fitz stepped over Scooter to get into the room and saw Madison perched up against the pillows and snuggled under their comfortable down comforter.

"Hi you." He greeted her as she stared at the television without blinking.

"Hey! Eyes over here shorty." He snapped his fingers in her face before pausing the Netflix show.

"Hi daddy!" She finally responded, looking up at him.

She rarely got tv time on a school night so it wasn't surprising to Fitz that she would be glued to the screen. He lifted her under the arms to stand in front of him on the bed. He could hear the sound of moving water coming from the bathroom and figured that's where his wife was. He didn't hear the white noise from the monitor and only assumed his son was in here as well.

"Did you have a good day at school?"

"Yes! I was star student in my class!"

"Really? Again! That's awesome sweetie!"

"Only me and Ryan and Caden got star student two times!"

"I'm very proud of you. What about at home? Were you good for Mommy after school?"

"Yea..."

Fitz heard the credits stop and a new episode started on the tv, affectively take Madison's attention from his conversation. He pushed her away from him and smiled at her loud giggles as she fell back against the pillows.

Fitz walked into the walk in closet and tossed his dress shirt into the hamper before walking into the bathroom. Olivia was soaking in the large tub while Elijah sat in the bouncer seat. Fitz smiled at his creative wife and knew it had to have been a long day for her. She rarely indulged in bath time while she was alone with both kids. She also admittedly preferred to bathe with Fitz.

"Hi beautiful"

"Hi handsome."

He kneeled down and over the edge of the tub before kissing her softly on the lips.

"Mmmmm, one more... Another... let me have another.

Fitz smiled, kissing her each time she asked for another and on the last request, he kissed her passionately for a few moments. His hand eased into the very warm water and Fitz rubbed the back of his hand against her left breast. Olivia removed his hand from the tub before she pulled her lips away from his.

"No babe. Don't start something I honestly don't have the energy to finish."

Fitz didn't respond to the comment and instead sat on the floor next to the bouncer seat that was vibrating and playing music.

"Did you get my pizza?"

"I did. How was he today? Any better?"

She shook her head and sunk further into the tub, bring her wet hands to her temple. "Teething is a bitch."

Fitz snorted at her choice of words and quieted down when Olivia sent him a glaring look.

"I'm sorry babe. Okay, monster of a son, check. How was the missus when you picked her up from school? Any problems? She was too into the tv for me to trust her answer."

"Well how do you think she got a tv show tonight? She really was an angel for me tonight. I was shocked."

"Well it's not like we're raising a hellion, Livvie."

"I know, she's usually always great, she just gets into these moments where she has to question everything I say or do and it makes me wanna wring her little neck."

Fitz laughed loudly, making the baby jump slightly in the bouncer.

"Well good, I'm glad she was good and it's just the little man I have to lay the smack down on."

"Can you feed her?"

"Of course. You want me to put yours in the oven?"

"No, can you bring it in here?"

"Bath feeding?" Fitz questioned with raised eyebrows.

"Bath feeding."Olivia agreed smiling.

"Coming right up."

He kissed her lips and left the bathroom after placing a kiss on Elijah's cheek. He went into the kitchen and got a plate with two slices of pizza, then brought it in the bathroom. Elijah was becoming squirmy and fussy and Olivia sent Fitz a knowing look as he handed her the plate.

"You eat, I've got the kids."

She smiled at him before grabbing her pizza and taking a bite.

"Can you bring the sauce in?"

Fitz did as she asked and went to feed Madison and himself dinner.

When Fitz finally had Madison down, he brought Elijah into their bedroom and over to the bed where Olivia was lying on her side. Her head was propped on a pillow and her tank top was already unhooked and exposing her left breast as she fiddled with her phone.

"He's bathed, changed and ready for you."

"If your son bites me, he's gonna go to bed hungry tonight." Olivia warned, raising her eyebrows at Fitz.

Fitz lifted Elijah above his head and stared into his grey/blue eyes and spoke to him in a serious voice.

"Buddy, don't go biting on mom's nips, alright? She's not too fond of it." He laughed and his body jerked when Olivia's foot swung out and kicked him, barely missing his balls. "Just go easy on her buddy. I think she's out to get both of us now."

Fitz brought him down and kissed his cheek before laying him on the bed next to Olivia. She barely acknowledged Elijah's presence and held onto her phone with one hand as her free one helped the little boy get latched and comfortable.

"If he knows what's good for him, he wont….arrghhhh! dammit, Fitz get him please!"

Fitz moved closer to her and waited for her to get him unlatched before scooping the screaming baby up and cradling him in her arms. Fitz began swaying back and forth, bouncing Elijah in the process as Olivia sat up against the headboard and moved to cross her legs.

"Liv, just let me give him a bottle." Fitz suggested as Elijah still whimpered in his arms.

"No, I need to get past this. Your kid is killing me Fitzgerald! He's chewing my nipples like a starved animal and I'm starting to despise feeding him and I hate it!"

She became emotional as the truth came out. She loved to nurse her little boy, but the past week had made her dread their special time together and she hated to admit that.

"We just have to figure out a way to make him stop and ease up."

"Your mom said I should pluck his cheek when he starts gnawing or scold him a little and sit him down for a minute or so."

She glanced up to see his reaction and rolled her eyes at him. Of course _he_ was the one looking offended at the thought of Elijah getting some form of consequence for his biting.

"Every single book says that even at a young age, babies can learn to not bite and gnaw while nursing, Fitz. I need to try something because it's killing me."

"Well then try a few different things and see which works. Do you want me to stay or can I go get in a quick work out?"

"You can go."

"Are you sure? Is this one of those times where you say one thing, and I'm supposed to catch on that you don't really mean it because I can wait till he's down."

Olivia laughed and shooed him away with her hand.

"Alright, let me know if you need me." Fitz said moving closer and kissing her lips before bending lower and kissing Elijah's face. "Be good buddy so Mommy doesn't spank you."

"Shut up" she laughed, shoving his chest as he stood up and walked towards the closet. He got a pair of tennis shoes out before walking out of the room and towards their workout room.

Olivia moved back a little bit against the headboard so that she was sitting up straight and laid Elijah on her lap while she unhooked her tank top. When her breast was fully exposed, she brought her arm under his head and neck before she moved him closer to latch on.

"You be nice and gentle for Mommy, okay? No more of that biting stuff."

He immediately latched on and began eating his fill. Olivia watched him closely to see if there were any signs she was missing just like the book said, but found none. It was seconds later that she felt his latch slip just a little and he began the harsh gnawing. Olivia winced at the contact and forced herself to not pull him off, and instead pulled him closer. It barely took seconds for him to open his mouth wide so that he was able to breathe. Pulling him closer so that his nose was pressed against her chest seemed to work and a second later, she loosened her hold and he continued feeding. Seconds later, he did the same thing and this time, Olivia softly tapped his cheek with her index finger before scowling and speaking in a voice she had never used with him before.

"NO, Elijah. That hurts Mommy! No."

Hs stopped sucking and his eyes were set wide as he stared at her for a few seconds. When she didn't say anything else, he began eating again, until the same tone was used and her finger kept tapping at his cheek.

"No! No Elijah, that hurts. Ahh shit!" Olivia exclaimed when he unexpectedly bit down hard. "That hurts Mommy." Olivia pushed her finger into his mouth, breaking his suction on her breast and pulled him off of her lap before lying him down in front of her on the bed. "That's a no, buddy. If you keep biting me, you're gonna become best friends with a bottle."

When Elijah realized that he wasn't going to be picked back up right away, his bottom lip turned down in his perfected pout and his lips began trembling. It was seconds later, that his shrill cry filled the room.

"I know buddy, but we gotta fix this or you're gonna drive your momma crazy. Are you ready to try again? I know your teeth hurt, but we have teething toys and it's not Mommy's boobs."

Olivia picked him back up and rubbed her knuckle against his gums, quieting him down for a few minutes. When he was completely calmed down, she removed her finger from his mouth and allowed him to latch on, but could tell that he was hesitant this time around. She figured whatever she did freaked him out enough and he ate the rest of his fill on each side before dozing off in her arms. She brought him to her shoulder and let out a sleepy burp before she took him in the nursery. After she changed his diaper, and swaddled him, Olivia laid him down in the crib before turning the sound machine on and leaving the room.

"Goodnight sweet angel."

* * *

"Fitz, go to sleep, babe... Fitz, I'm too tired... Fitz are you suddenly deaf or just ignoring me?"

"Can you just let me do this, Livvie? I need you."

Just as Olivia suspected, Fitz ministrations didn't halt. In fact, they increased and it only took seconds before Olivia felt her body betray her mind. She was tired- no, she was fucking drained and the last thing she needed or wanted was for her horny husband to wake her up in the middle of the night wanting sex. When they were first married, Fitz waking her up in the middle of the night to make love, was hot. Six months into marriage, it was hot. When she got pregnant, well once her hormones were normal enough, it was still hot. But once Elijah was born, it was sometime-y. Most days, at least four to five days out of the week, they made love, had sex, or straight up fucked and if you asked Olivia, Fitz was lucky. Fitz was blessed with a wife that was so infatuated with him, that even on draining nights, she still gave it up. But tonight was not happening and he could blame his son for it.

"You're gonna make me knee you in the balls, Fitz, then you're gonna be pissed at me."

"Why would you wanna hurt your best friend like that?"

His voice was low and everything he was doing was annoying her. His lips were heading towards her breast, and she knew he was referring to his penis as her best friend.

"Just think about how good it's gonna feel, baby."

"You really think I want you anywhere near my breast after your spawn gnawed them raw? Get awayyyy"

Olivia drawled out the word before getting enough strength to turn on her side, purposely removing his hovering stature in the process.

Fitz was on her immediately and Olivia felt her right leg being lifted over his and before she knew it he was at her entrance, pushing his tip in without warning.

"Fuck, Fitz!" Olivia winced at the feeling. Her body was not adequately prepared for him at the moment and he felt way too big to be anywhere inside of her at the moment.

"Shhh, I'm sorry baby. Give me a minute."

Olivia groaned as she felt his finger brush over her stomach until it reached her clit. He began a slow, torturous pattern, turning her on more than she was willing to admit. His lips were leaving their mark on her neck and he began moving his hips, finally being able to slip in between her folds. He felt good, in fact he felt great, but the exhaustion was winning for sure. Nevertheless, Olivia moved against Fitz, allowing him to have his way with her, and when she realized how close he actually was, she clamped her walls around his penis forcing him to come sooner than he expected. Knowing he hadn't felt her come, Olivia groaned and yelled his name as realistically as she could before digging her nails into the back of his neck. A few slow thrusts later, Olivia felt Fitz slip out of her and turned her onto her back before he buried his face into her neck.

"What was that…. Did you even… did you come, baby… it didn't feel like it usually does…"

He was out of breath and Olivia didn't want to lie to him, but she knew if she didn't she'd never get any rest.

"Of course I did. You always take such good care of me."

Fitz stared at her before kissing her deeply for a few minutes.

"Goodnight baby." Liv said before rolling over and going back to sleep.

Fitz fell against the sheets on his back going over what just happened as he stared at the ceiling. He knew his wife inside and out. Every single part of her. There was no way in hell she came.

* * *

The next morning, to say that Fitz was giving Olivia the cold shoulder would be an understatement. Before either of the kids were up, Olivia had tried to take advantage of their limited adult time and rolled over to straddle his waist. Her kisses started at Fitz's neck and moved down over his chest and abs before going back up to his lips. She smiled in victory as she felt him harden beneath her.

"I need to feel you baby."

Fitz knew she was ready for him and could feel her heat through his boxers. She had to have taken off her panties before climbing on top of him and he hated to have to tell her no. But payback was a bitch.

In a flash, Fitz groaned and turned until she was no longer able to straddle him. He kept moving until he was lying flat on his stomach, closing his eyes completely and mumbling something unintelligible.

Olivia looked at Fitz's back dumbfounded.

"Seriously babe? I'm half naked and more than willing to wake you up in your favorite way."

"Tired Liv." He mumbled out, lifting his head just a little before letting it rest back on the pillow.

Olivia moved closer to him, climbing on his back before leaving a trail of kisses from his neck to his exposed cheek.

"Fitz, wake up."

"Why?"

"Because I want to make love to my sexy husband… since when do I need to explain what this means" she spoke softly in his ear, moving a hand under him and to the front of his boxers.

Before Olivia could process what was happening, she was on her back with Fitz hovering over her, just inches from her lips. Olivia gasped in excitement and leaned forward, begging his lips to meet hers.

"What was it that you asked me?" his voice was deep and full of sleep, sending Olivia's core pulsating.

"I said… since when do I need to explain what this means."

Fitz dipped his head lower, brushing lips lightly over hers a few times before leaning down so that he could speak softly in her ear.

"Since you faked an orgasm last night."

Her eyes shot open at his words and she felt the guilt bubble in her stomach.

"Fitz, I …"

"Nope, don't wanna hear it." He was off of her and walking towards the bathroom. "And don't worry, I'll take care of this myself." Fitz said wrapping his hand around his erection before closing the bathroom door and locking it behind him.

"Shit"

* * *

Fitz sat in the kitchen with Elijah in his high chair as he fed the baby a snack that Saturday afternoon. Madison was spending the weekend with Abby and Fitz and Olivia were happy to get some one on one time with their little boy. He was growing faster than either of them liked to admit. He was now seven months and pretty much rolling and scooting everywhere.

"_It's not really a crawl though."_

"_It might as well be" Fitz argued._

"_Let's just say that Elijah takes after his daddy in the moving department." Olivia said to her sister-in-law as they skyped with the kids._

"_Ohhhh," Sarah began. "So he's chunky and lazy?"_

"_Exactly!" Olivia said laughing and lifting Elijah to stand on her lap. His long-sleeved shirt had ridden up and Fitz leaned over and kissed his exposed full tummy."_

"_Look at that smile. Hi Lijah! Oh we can't wait to see you for Christmas baby boy._

"_Oh he can't wait to see his big cousin and his Auntie and Uncle either. Just a few more weeks."_

His main goal was to keep up with his big sister, so Olivia and Fitz knew he'd be fully crawling any day now and be moving even faster once he had to keep up with his big cousin too.

"AHH!" Elijah yelled, breaking Fitz from his day dream. There were a bunch of other sounds he made and all of them spelled out "feed me more." He loved to eat and since they'd introduced him to solids at six months, he hadn't missed the opportunity to have his face stuffed with food. He loved any jar of veggies they fed him except squash and the only sweets they began giving him is what he was making a mess of right now. Bananas. He loved bananas. Olivia had first given him the jar kind, but as of two weeks ago he was seven months and she had finally started giving him puffs. He was confused at first but once he realized where the food went, he got the hang of feeding himself. Mostly he would grab the single puff they'd put on the tray, with his palm and shove his hand to his mouth until the food was in his mouth. So last week, Olivia begun cutting up small slices of banana and her little man went to town.

"Is he killin them?" Olivia asked walking into the room with her lap top in hand. She went to sit in the empty seat on the other side of the highchair, sitting the lap top in front of her. When she finally looked at him, he was wearing a large, messy smile and staring at her. His wide deep grey eyes bore into hers and Olivia knew he wouldn't look away until she spoke to him.

"Good afternoon, my Sweet Elijah." Olivia smiled brightly at him as his smiled widened even further and his banana covered hands came out in front of him. He began doing the sign for 'milk.'

"No buddy, you're eating 'nanas" Olivia said peering at Fitz out of the corner of her eye.

There was no doubt that Elijah was a true mama's boy and Fitz liked to joke that it was because he was a 'titty baby.' If there was one thing her little man loved more than eating table food, it was nursing. And strictly nursing. He rarely took a bottle unless it was for lunch- which was still breast milk- but when he first woke up and before he was put to bed, Olivia nursed him. And he _loved_ nursing. He loved it so much that Olivia rarely allowed Fitz to hand him over while she was in the shower anymore because he'd just want to pacify or fully nurse. That's why he was such a porker. It was his Grammie that had taught the baby the sign. Catherine had made sure to go and see Elijah and Liv everyday of the week or made sure she was available to keep her grandson if Olivia needed to run any errands. Neither of them wanted him out and about so soon after being out of the hospital so he was home or at the Grants house as much as possible. Anytime she fed him, she was sure to do the sign and it seemed after weeks and weeks of doing it, Elijah knew exactly what it meant.

"He'd rather have 'tatas' than 'nanas anyday."

"Did you really say, 'tatas?' Your daddy is silly. You eat your food buddy, Mama is looking some stuff up."

He slapped his hands against the tray before grabbing a slice and shoved it towards his mouth, getting it in a few seconds later.

"Remember the dance class we talked about signing Mads up for?"

"The tap one or ballet?"

"Eh both, but I think she really wants to do ballet. Well I found the teacher that everyone raves about and the sign ups just started so I'm about to sign her up but I wanna know what day works best for you in case I can't take her to and from for any reason."

"Hmmm still either Tuesday or Thursday. It's my usual slow day plus Carter's in on those days just in case I need him to see someone last minute."

"Perfect, I'm signing her up."

Fitz nodded and moved to the counter to cut up the last small chunk of Elijah's banana after seeing his tray go empty and the little boy frantically search for more while swiping his hand across the high chair repeatedly. Olivia moved to the Keurig that was finally done brewing and got herself a mug down before turning to Fitz.

"Baby, do you want some of this coffee?"

"Can I have some of your milk in it"

Olivia's head snapped in his direction and her eyebrows raised as a finger pointed in his direction.

"Warning." She shot out.

"What?" he replied innocently.

"That's a warning."

Fitz chuckled before moving behind her and encircling his arms around her waist.

"You didn't seem to mind the last time I had some."

Olivia nearly moaned feeling him hard and ready as he pressed himself against her ass. Sex was the furthest thing from her mind, but all it took was his hands on her and she was salivating below.

"That… that was.." she moaned feeling his hands slip under her shirt and cup her bra covered breasts. "That was months ago" she finally finished.

"But you liked it. It's been far too long since you shared what's mine."

Before Olivia could respond, Elijah's loud voice interrupted their moment and he stared at them with his mouth hanging wide open and his brows furrowed. He was so damn cute. Olivia turned and pushed against Fitz's chest before rolling her eyes at him.

"Go feed my son."

Fitz groaned and leaned forward, gently knocking his forehead against her before moving to deliver the fruit onto his son's highchair tray.

"The schedule is up and her first class will start in February and the first show will be in April." Olivia spoke, sitting back down in front of her lap top.

"Why so far away? I thought we wanted to sign her up for now?"

Fitz was confused and didn't understand why she couldn't start like next week.

"We can sign her up _now_ to start in February but the classes now started way back in October. They do eight classes, then a performance and with everything going on with Lijah being sick, we missed the sign ups."

"Well that sucks."

"Yea, but at least she can do it soon. Then we can sign her up for sports in the spring."

"Oh, so we're gonna be those type of parents? Ones that run around on weekends to baseball games and cheer games?"

"Oh no Mr. Grant. You are going to be a soccer dad."

"Soccer dad?"

"Yep. It's gonna be hella sexy too."

"I can see me being a soccer dad. In fact, I should coach the team."

"Now I wouldn't go that far. Have you ever played soccer before, Fitz?"

"You obviously don't recall those talks we'd have during our study group downtime back in college? I played soccer when I was a kid and was the assistant coach for the Y's team during my first summer break."

"That's right," Olivia started, moving to the other side of the table and straddling Fitz's lap. "My husband's got brains and brawn."

"Your man definitely does." Fitz said leaning back to look into her eyes as his hands worked their way up and down her sides. He leaned in to kiss her shirt-covered chest before his hands moved underneath her shirt and touched her soft skin.

"Fitz… we can't"

"Because you're gonna fake it again?"

"Really? Please stop with that and forgive me!"

"Okay, maybe I do forgive you. Prove it to me, let's do it."

"We can't."

"I don't see why not" he responded, moving his lips to her neck and biting down softly.

"Because your son is right there watching and it's inappropriate."

"Hold on to me."

"What?"

"Hold on to me." He repeated before he stood up, keeping his left arm firmly around her waist and pressed against his body. He took a half a step forward and Olivia continued to kiss his neck, unsure of what he was doing. She heard a noise behind her and when he sat back down, Fitz gripped her face and brought her mouth to his. He wasted no time slipping his tongue into her mouth even as she began to protest.

"Babe, stop he's still.."

"No, I took care of it." He said against her lips.

"What do you.."

She wasn't able to finish her sentence because of the loud cry that sounded behind her. Removing her lips from Fitz's, Olivia turned around to see Elijah's highchair facing the other direction, towards the empty kitchen.

"Fitz! Why'd you do that to him?"

Olivia shoved him in the chest before climbing off his lap and moving to her screaming baby boy.

"Hey buddy, it's okay." She cooed dragging the highchair across the floor until it reached the sink. She got one of his rags from the drawer and wet it with warm water before removing the messy tray and wiping his hands and mouth down. Elijah continued to whimper until Olivia unbuckled him and lifted him onto her shoulder. He nuzzled into her neck and she rubbed his back. She turned around and glared at Fitz playfully while she swayed and moved towards him.

"Tell daddy you'll see him and his one track mind after your nap."

Fitz stood up and grinned sexily at Olivia before he leaned down and kissed Elijah's cheek. He rubbed his back and kissed him once more before whispering in his ear that he loved him. Olivia smiled at him, never being able to resist him when it came to his fatherly ways and began walking towards the hall way. She had barely taken two steps when she felt his large hand connect with her ass and turned to see him unbuttoning his shirt and following behind her.

"I'll be waiting with your punishment, Mrs. Grant."

"My punishment?"

"Yep. You'll never fake another orgasm ever again."

* * *

In the hundreds, probably thousands of times they'd made love, Olivia had never seen Fitz this way. The look in his eyes was completely territorial and vengeful in a way that made Olivia want him even more. He was hovered over her and reached down to take off the long, fluffy socks she constantly wore around the house. When Fitz crawled back towards her with a single sick in his hand, Olivia just stared in confusion.

"You're annoyingly taking your time, Mr. Grant."

A large smile spread across his lips as he leaned towards her ear and spoke in a whisper, "You're gonna learn patience today, Mrs. Grant."

"I thought this way payback?" Olivia responded coyly.

"Oh it will be payback. And you're gonna hate it."

Olivia clenched her thighs together as she felt Fitz take a hold of her hands and bring them over her head. She linked her fingers together thinking he wanted her to but was surprised when she felt the soft cloth wrap around both wrist and looked up to see him tying them with the sock.

"What are you..."

"Shhhhh," he instructed and brought a finger to her lips, making her go quiet.

"AHHH, Fuck!" Olivia cried out when she immediately felt Fitz's large fingers on her lower lips. He hadn't even bothered taking her panties off, instead choosing to push them aside before beginning his ministrations.

Fitz moved away from her and stood in front of her stripping his shirt and sweatpants off as Olivia watched with desire in her eyes. She was desperate for skin to skin and couldn't wait for him to undress her.

But he never did.

His fingers were inside her, and his mouth was attached to her neck, but he refused to give into her pleas for him to undress her.

"We are doing this my way, Livvie. And I want to hear you beg."

And beg she did. She begged as Fitz drove his tongue into her core for nineteen minutes straight without stopping. She begged for him to touch her before each of her three orgasms that his lips and fingers forced out of her. Olivia begged and pleaded for him to enter her when he finally removed her clothes and gave her the satisfaction of feeling his skin against hers.

"I can't… Fitz, please" She could only see the top of his hair that was curling even more from the sweat he was working up.

Fitz gave her one final kiss on the lips before he lifted her up and turned her over so that she was on her knees directly in front of him. Fitz pushed her face down on the bed and finally slid in from behind. She cried out loudly at the contact, squeezing him immediately. Taking a hold of her hips, Fitz raised her ass higher, feeling her walls close tighter around him, and moved his hands higher to her ribcage, getting a better grip on her. Holding her tightly Fitz began to pound into her relentlessly, working his hips into overdrive. His ass tightened with every thrust and he reached down with one hand and played with her clit, causing her to scream out as another orgasm hit. He felt her juices running down his balls, making him dive faster. He lifted one of his legs onto the bed, angling his thrust downward. After a minute passed, Olivia expected him to finally give in, but he continued and gave her long strokes, moving deeper and feeling that familiar tingling in his balls. He was finally getting close, but wouldn't let her off that easy. Removing his hand from her clit, Fitz turned her face towards his licking at her lips.

"I'm so close baby." He spoke right before he pulled out of her and turned her on her back. His mouth was on her breast as he grinded his thigh into her core, making her scream loudly.

"Do you want to fake another one, baby? Am I boring you?"

"NO…oh god, baby… you're … it's every.. AH! Fuck me baby."

He slid back in without warning, burying himself deep inside of her and came, emptying his load deep inside of her. Fitz took a few moments and caught his breath, refusing to remove himself from her.

"I don't think I can move at all."

Fitz chuckled at her confession and propped himself up on his elbows so he didn't continue to have his full weight on her.

"It looks like you might have enjoyed torturing me a little too much." Olivia said noticing the serene look on his face.

"I really did. You might have to fake an orgasm more often."

* * *

The Grant's piled out of the car once Fitz turned the ignition off, and Olivia opened the backdoor to unbuckle Madison.

"Madison Olivia, where'd you put your hat?"

The curly-headed girl shrugged her shoulders and Olivia groaned loudly, looking across at Fitz who was on the other side unbuckling Elijah.

"Well I guess you can't help us pick out a tree for the house." Olivia raised her eyebrows at Madison wearing a stern look on her face.

"Madison where is your hat? You can't get out and look for a tree if your hat isn't on your head in ten seconds." Fitz warned, giving his daughter a look similar to her mother's. Then he began counting down.

Madison scrambled atop of her seat and turned to look in the third row of Fitz's new SUV, body half slung over the seat with her butt high in the air. Ever since he traded in his old vehicle last week, Madison had been very intrigued with the third row, making it her mission to get back there anyway that she could. Seconds later she appeared with her hat bunched in her gloved hand and a wide grin on her face.

"Found it."

Olivia grabbed the hat from her and put it securely on her head, making sure it was covering her ears.

"This does not go back there again, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am." Madison said seriously, feeling guilty for disobeying.

Olivia helped her out of the car before closing the door and walking to the other side, Madison's hand clutched tightly in hers.

"Are you sure we shouldn't just leave him in his seat and use the stroller? It's cold." Olivia said worrying about Elijah.

"Fresh air will do him some good. He's perfectly fine and healthy."

Olivia smiled as Fitz pulled at the restraints and turned around to face her. Elijah was smiling brightly with his little snowsuit on. His head was covered with a fleece hood that had little ears on the top. The light brown suit covered his feet and had extra fabric that was flipped over his small hands as well.

"Hi little bear." Olivia smiled, kissing Elijah's nose. He kicked his feet in return, smiling at Olivia before he began to whine for her.

"No, no, you stay with daddy."

Making sure Madison's hand was still tucked safely in hers, Olivia and Fitz made their way through the parking lot, before finally going under the sign that read "Gregory's Family Tree Lot."

"We gotta do better Liv. We can't do this every year, you know."

"Oh hush! This will not be a yearly thing. I just sat in the living room looking at our tree and realized I don't want to do fake trees anymore. A real tree will be nice to have regardless of the clean up." she said pointedly at him, knowing it was a reason he was so against it.

"Well, next time let's not decide that days before Christmas, _after_ our tree was up and decorated." Fitz muttered the words, earning him a shove on the side of his head.

"Don't make fun of me, Fitz. I know it's a little inconvenient…"

"Oh inconvenient that we spent hours un-decorating our perfectly fine fake tree, packing it up, and now we're at a tree lot four days before Christmas getting a new tree? Not at all." He said in a mocking tone and rolling his eyes.

"Hey now Grant! Where is your Christmas cheer? Don't make me start back with the Christmas carols again." She said looking up at him with raised eyebrows. "_On the first day of Christmas, my true love.."_

"Alright, alright, I'll cheer up, please don't start that up again." His hands moved to cover his ears and she pulled them down from his face before holding them to his sides. He laughed at the fact that she was using all of her strength to hold his arms down.

"Good!" she chuckled before leaning up on her tip-toes and pushing a kiss to his cold lips.

She held her left hand out and a second later felt Madison's hand slip back into her own.

"Let's just make this quick."

Olivia smiles before walking ahead of him with Madison pointing out all the sizes of the trees.

"Mommy, it's bigger than our whole house!"

"It kinda is, huh?"

"Can we get this one and put it outside in the backyard?"

"No, we have to get one that fits inside our living room so you and Elijah can see it."

"And so Santa can find it?"

"Yep! We're gonna sit it right in front of the big window so you can see it from outside."

"So it's gotta fit in our house, right?"

"Right, Toots! But we can look at some of the bigger trees for fun."

Fitz watched as Olivia and Madison continued to walk to the left where bigger trees were stashed, and moved slowly behind them, taking Elijah close enough to get a look at the twinkling lights some of the trees had on display.

"You see these lights FJ? You see the colors?"

He helped Elijah bring his covered hand to the light and hit the tiny bulbs a few times before he moved to the next tree. Fitz hadn't expected the lot to be this full so close to Christmas, but figured they were used to people coming at the last minute to purchase one. The family owned lot had been around since Fitz was a teenager and he could remember going with his family to pick out a tree each year. As much as he gave Liv a hard time about it, he secretly loved that they were getting a real tree. It reminded him of his childhood and he loved that he would be able to incorporate some of his family traditions- like this one- with his own family now. Walking towards the right side of the lot, Fitz held onto Elijah's waving arms, and thought back to the first Christmas they had spent together as a family.

"_Livvie, why don't you grab the mugs and fill them. I've got this"_

_Olivia nodded her head and grabbed the two mugs from the counter before walking towards the table and sitting them out of Madison's reach. Fitz stayed at the stove and used the spatula to remove the chocolate chip cookies from the baking sheet and onto the plate that was designated as Santa's. _

"_Are we gonna eat cookies too, or are they just for Santa?" Madison asked. She was sitting at the table and turned around in her seat facing Fitz with wide eyes. She had been sent to the table after her parents knew she wouldn't be able to control herself around the hot dish of cookies._

"_We will eat some too, but first I need to you to finish your dinner. When all your chicken is gone, we can have some hot cocoa and cookies before bedtime."_

_She quickly turned around in her chair remembering the plate of food in front of her and quickly ate the last four chicken cubes and the last few noodles on her plate, for good measure, and slid out of her seat. _

"_I'm done, Mommy!" She walked her plate over to the sink and dropped it inside before she grabbed her stool and brought it over to where Fitz stood._

_Olivia smiled, watching the two of them as she leaned against the island. Their tree had been put up weeks ago, and Fitz had made Madison a countdown until Christmas Day to keep the little girl from driving them crazy with questions of how many days were left. They had just had dinner and made cookies together, something Olivia wanted to make sure was a tradition in their home for years to come. She remembered making cookies with her parents and her mother continuing the tradition until she passed away. _

_After cookies and hot chocolate were consumed in front of the fire as they watched Frosty the Snowman, the three of them left out a plate of cookies and milk for Santa before retreating to Madison's room._

"_What story are we reading?"_

"_I'm gonna read you the story that my mommy used to read to me when I was a little girl. We read it every night before Christmas."_

"_Did Uncle Boss read them too?"_

"_Yep, our mom, your Grandma would read this to us every Christmas Eve before bed and then we'd wake up on Christmas morning and it would be the best day."_

_Madison smiled and snuggled into Olivia's side as they listened to Fitz read The Night Before Christmas. It was late and Madison was asleep before Fitz reached the last page, but at Olivia's request, he read the story a second time before they kissed Madison goodnight and left her room._

_When they went back into the living room, Olivia quickly cleaned up the kitchen while Fitz went into the extra bedroom and brought out gifts, a new yellow bike, and more boxes that still had yet to be wrapped._

"_Liv, tell me why it was so important to wrap all the presents the night before, no let me rephrase that, HOURS before Madison is going to be up begging to open them."_

_"What do you mean? We've got plenty of time."_

_"Livvie, she's gonna tear down the hall to these gifts at the crack of dawn and we're gonna be dragging ourselves out of bed only because we can hear her ripping them open."_

_"We won't be dragging ourselves out of bed because we will already be out here."_

_"Out here?"_

_"Yep" _

_"In the living room?"_

_"In the living room."_

_Her words were so cheerful yet nonchalant and Fitz wasn't sure what she had planned because she refused to clue him in. _

_"Livvie" Fitz said eyeing her. He couldn't continue being in the dark. He could tell the day meant a lot to her, but she hadn't opened up to him about is real meaning._

_"We should sleep in the living room tonight so that when she does wake up we will else up and see her first reaction right away."_

_Fitz stared at her knowing that there was more to the story and walked towards her. He circled his arms around her waist and bright his chin to her shoulder before pulling them both into the love seat. Most people that came over laughed at how out of place it seemed but it was their favorite place to sit together._

_"The last Christmas I remember of my dad, him and my mom had already put Harrison down and they read me stories and tucked me into bed before they came back downstairs. I was asleep but I had woken up I don't know how long after but when I did I wanted to sneak and see if Santa had come."_

_"You snuck downstairs?"_

_"I snuck downstairs." Olivia said confirming his suspicions._

_"Naughty Livvie."_

_She snickered before tightening his arms around her waist and continuing._

_"I went downstairs and heard a bunch of giggling and I immediately knew it was Santa so I kept going and was shocked when it wasn't him."_

_"It was your parents?"_

_"It was. My mom was standing over my dad passing him pieces as he put my bike together. I remember all his tools were just laid out in front of him and he was laughing at her for passing the wrong tool he had asked for."_

_"So you realized that night that there was no Santa?"_

_"Yep."_

_"Did you run back to your room, heartbroken?"_

_"No."_

_"No?"_

_"I sat on the steps and watched them."_

_Olivia leaned her head back and turned her face so that it was nestled in the crook of Fitz's neck. Tears had begun to form in her eyes and she felt Fitz kiss her cheek as he realized she was getting choked up._

_"I watched them for almost an hour and they never saw me."_

_"What did you see when you watched them, Livvie?"_

_"I saw love. In that moment, I was so young, I was only four I think, but I understood how much my parents loved each other. They were laughing and poking fun at each other in the most loving way and I couldn't stop watching them. It didn't matter that I had just realized Santa Clause wasn't real anymore and that my parents were putting all the gifts under the tree. All I knew was that my mom and dad were so crazy about one another and loved each other so much. I could see their friendship and I'd never seen it before."_

_"That sounds like every kid's dream come true."_

_"It was. I want Madison to have that. I want her and this little one to know that we are so in love with each other and that we are best friends."_

_"If she doesn't already, then she will Livvie. Both of our kids will."_

_She turned her head to kiss his lips a few times before she removed herself from his lap. _

_"Alright Sexy, enough of this. We've got some presents to wrap."_

_"Presents to to wrap with hopes that our little girl sneaks down and see how in love we are."_

_Olivia smiled knowing he was only half poking fun of her and that he honestly wanted that for Madison too. She was excited to make some new traditions with him, but wrapping some of the presents and staying up super late until they passed out on the couch was something she wanted to carry on from her childhood. _

Fitz politely declined the help an employee offered him and decided that it was time he and Elijah find the rest of their family.

"Where did Mommy and Sissy go, FJ? Huh? Let's see if we can find them."

Olivia and Madison walked hand and hand through the row of trees and towards the smaller trees. Although she was holding her hand still, Madison was skipping a step ahead of her and Olivia did her best to turn back around and find Fitz, but couldn't manage to hold the little girl back.

"Mommy we have to get one of the ones with lights on it!"

"We have lights, Mads. At home."

"But we need ... HMPH!"

Olivia pulled Madison up by her arm when she fell to the ground. She had ran straight into a man and woman that had rounded the sharp corner and Olivia hadn't been able to pull her to a stop in time before she collided with them.

"Oh goodness could you watch where you're going"

The woman started but stopped when she looked up and saw Olivia and Madison.

"You."

Olivia didn't say a word but brought her arms around Madison's body and pulled her closer.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you two. Should I even be surprised that you're here alone? All that fighting and drama for what? Could you even keep him happy?"

"There you guys are." Fitz began as he rounded the corner and first spotted Madison's bright pink coat, then Olivia. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Fitz?"

"Mellie?"

It was the most awkward five seconds and before anyone could say anything, Elijah let out a loud gurgle while kicking his legs wildly.

"You have a baby?"

She said it as though it didn't seem real to her.

"Yes, Olivia and I have two children now. Is this your...?" His asked looking at the man that she was standing next to. Fitz wasn't one to make fun of another person but he couldn't stop himself from laughing on the inside. The guy had to have been at least 7 years younger than Mellie and looked to be about as clueless as to how awkward Mellie was feeling at the moment.

"This is John."

"John? Nice to meet you, I'm Fitz and this is my wife Olivia and our children."

"Nice to meet you."

He didn't need to introduce his children to him personally but he was curious to know more about him.

"I used to work at Duke in the ER with Mellie."

"Oh that's cool. She said she used to work there but decided to do something less time-consuming."

"Oh really? I guess things do tend to get busy at Duke."

Fitz knew she had lied to the poor guy. Mellie was fired once his complaint had been filed and she was looked into.

"Yea, she started working at the health center and I had just started my school hours the week before and we hit it off immediately."

Fitz chuckled in a way that seemed as though he was shocked and excited but Olivia knew he was laughing at the fact that Mellie had found someone naive enough to fall for her. He wouldn't even mention her new position.

"Sometimes fate just works out that way man. When you find the one you're supposed to be with you just know."

Fitz wrapped his left arm around Olivia and leaned over to kiss her cheek for emphasis.

"Well we are gonna keep searching for our tree, you guys take care and Mellie... I hope things keep going so well for you."

She forced a smile and nodded her head before pulling John away from them and completely out of the lot and to the car.

The Grants watched them get in the car with Mellie in the driver's seat and scurry out of the parking lot.

"Oh wow. I can NOT believe that just happened! What are the odds? Like how long has it been?"

"Umm over a year that's for sure. We had just found out you were pregnant that morning when I quit. I filed a report the next week and I haven't seen her till this very moment. Cyrus told me she was let go and I wondered if she'd find a job with a sexual harassment claims on her record."

"Well it looks like she needs a new one filed. She works with that kid!"

"Exactly! And how old is he, like twelve? She drove them here. He's probably not even legal."

"Alright, he wasn't that young but still."

Olivia said as a snort escaped her at his joke.

"That poor guy has no idea the mess that is Mellie."

Fitz shook his head and began walking with Olivia and Madison through the maze of trees. They walked hand and hand with Madison feet ahead of them the entire time until they found the perfect tree to take home.

* * *

The following day, when they finally made it into the house, Olivia dragged in the groceries they had purchased on the way home, much to Fitz's dismay. He hadn't felt like braving the crowded stores so close to Christmas, but Olivia insisted on stopping to get a few things. The only way he agreed was for Olivia to tell him exactly what she wanted and she had to wait in the car with the kids. He also left his phone in the car on purpose so that she couldn't text him more things to get. She insisted on picking up a few more ornaments for their new tree after realizing they hadn't gotten Elijah a "My First Christmas" ornament and that had turned into an hour long venture. They were finally home, and Fitz was ready to start a fire and curl up on the couch with his wife and a drink.

"Take off your coat and shoes and go get your Jammie's on, Toots."

Madison nodded obediently and put her things away before heading to her bedroom to change. She was getting more and more independent every day.

"Fitz can you get the drinks and bring them in?"

"Just leave them out there so they can stay cold."

Fitz took her silence as an agreement and sat Elijah down in the exsersaucer that was by their Christmas tree but not within reach of his grabby hands.

The little boy immediately arched his back and began to bounce in distress as he forced tears from his eyes.

"Dude, relax. You're fine."

His words didn't help, and Elijah only screamed louder as Fitz walked towards the kitchen to empty the groceries with his wife.

"Are you gonna give him some teething tablets before you nurse him?"

"Yea, can you get them out and do it? I want to get this meat in the crock pot so it cooks all night. I have so much to do tomorrow so I need to get this out of the way."

Fitz nodded at her question but looked confused as she continued to speak.

"I'm really gonna need you to handle the kids and keep them out of my hair tomorrow as much as possible."

"What all do you have to do tomorrow? I thought we were just taking it slow and going to the movies with the family?"

Olivia turned to Fitz and smiled at his naivety. It's like he didn't understand how much actually went into Christmas dinner with their family. Even Harrison was flying in tomorrow and would need to be picked up. Fitz could add that to his list as well.

"Babe before our family movie I have to get this pulled pork ready for the sandwiches mom is gonna make for the movie..."

"She's making sandwiches? Why?" Fitz was even more confused now. It didn't make sense to him why they were cooking to go to the movies.

"Because she's smart and not gonna spend a hundred bucks on food there. She's gonna roll up in there with her huge grandma bag and it's gonna be full of barbecue sliders, those little cans of soda, the little mini waters, candy and cake."

"Cake? What the hell" he was laughing now. He'd never known his mother to do something like this before.

"When we talked about doing a movie for Christmas Eve from now on we thought back to the eighty bucks she spent last year getting snacks for everyone, plus this year Harrison will be there, and your aunt is here this time. That's even more people and it's a gift from them, so they're not making anyone pay and we decided that we'll just bring our own lunch in."

"Yea, until they search our bags and make us leave"

"They'll do no such thing, Abby and I used to do it all the time and movie hop. But anyway, I need to get this ready, that's why we bought all those rolls, I gotta make them and bag them up for us. Then I have to start on the pies for Christmas. I'm making sweet potato pie, a sweet potato cheesecake pie and a German chocolate cake and I have to tackle our daughters hair. So that's my day tomorrow and it's anything but relaxing."

She said that all in one breath and turned to look at him. He had his eyebrows raised and she knew he was waiting for her to give him the rundown of what all she needed him to do. He was off the next six days and was more than excited to celebrate Christmas with his whole family. It had been a long day starting with all of them getting up and dropping Fitz off at work. Olivia's car was taken in the day before to get a few things done; oil change, new tires, front alignment and a transmission check. Fitz had been livid when he swapped cars with her just yesterday and felt the way it was driving. It was dangerous and there was no way in hell he wasn't taking it directly to the dealership.

"Just tell me what you want me to do."

"First get your son before he throws himself out of that thing and could you give him a quick wash up, please. He had a blow out today and I just had to wipe him down, so he needs one bad."

"Yes, I can do that. What about Toots? I think she's about ready to pass out now."

"She is, she's been up all day and didn't even sleep in the car, so she's drained. If you could just do her Advent calendar with her tonight that would be great and then send her in so I can say goodnight."

"Alright, I got it."

"Thank you, babe."

"I love you."

Fitz leaned forward and kissed her lips before she replied to him and turned back to the task at hand.

When Fitz took Elijah to his nursery, the little boy squirmed in his arms, looking at everything they passed.

"Mads, you okay?" he asked yelling towards her room.

"Mhmmm" her reply was muffled and he knew she was still changing.

"Alright big guy, let's get you in the tub really fast, so you can eat and go to sleep, then me and mommy can have some alone time. Can you say alone time? Yea, we need some of that."

Fitz left the diaper on Elijah and carried him into the bathroom before he sat on the edge of the tub and turned on the faucet, adjusting the temperature until it was perfect. Pulling the green bumbo from under the sink, Fitz sat it in the tub then stood Elijah up on his legs and stripped him of his diaper. He laughed at the smiley boy that was staring at him and blew a raspberry on his stomach before plopping him down in the bumbo. His feet immediately kicked the water and as it rose, his hands did the same thing, splashing Fitz in the process.

"Alright Aqua-Man, relax. We're not gonna stay in long, so don't be mad at me okay? If anything be mad at your momma for taking so long shopping today. You could've had a nice long bath."

Fitz continued to make small talk with Elijah as he reached for his wash cloth and began to lather it in the honest body wash. He grabbed him under the arms and stood him up, keeping one hand across his chest and under his arms to hold him steady. He laughed at the bumbo being stuck to his thighs and removed it before washing his little body. He had the cutest dimples on both butt cheeks and the biggest thigh rolls that always made Fitz laugh hysterically. He was such a chunky baby just like he was and he wouldn't change a thing about him.

"Madison!" Fitz yelled towards the hallway, his voice making Elijah jump and stare at him with wide eyes. Fitz stared back at him and leaned forward to kiss his open mouth before apologizing for scaring him. "Sorry big guy, daddy didn't mean to scare you." He was about to call her name again when he faintly heard Olivia respond that she had her.

He began to wash Elijah's body one last time before he wet his hair and lathered the curls up in shampoo. He sat him back down in the bumbo before grabbing the cup off the side of the tub and dipping it in the water. He poured the cup on the back of his head and repeated his actions one more time before getting more water inside.

"Alright big guy, here it comes."Fitz warned before pouring the water atop his head. His eyes went wide and his mouth opened as he was startled. Elijah blinked his wide eyes and gasped for air just before Fitz did it one last time, laughing at his son's expression. "All done!" His long lashes batted as he tried to rid his eyes of water. Fitz unplugged the drain and moved to grab the towel from the back of the door and draped it across his chest before grabbing Elijah out. He wrapped him in the towel and grabbed another one before walking to his room and laying him on the changing table. He kept the towel around him and used the extra one to rub the excess water out of his hair and then moved to dry him off. Once he was dry, Fitz grabbed the coconut oil and opened the jar. He reached down and grabbed the small bottle of tea tree oil and added a drop to his hand before scooping out some coconut oil and lathering the little boy's body. He moved quick and did his bottom first before securing the diaper on him and doing his back, legs, arms, and chest. When he was finished, he wiped his hands clean and grabbed a tube of Aquaphor and squeezing a generous amount on the back of his hand. He held Elijah as still as he could before smothering his face and neck in the ointment.

"I know big guy" Fitz cooed as Elijah squirmed and whined. He hated it, but it was the only thing that helped with his eczema. "Alright, I'm done."

Fitz reached into the top drawer and grabbed out a sleeper before dressing him. When he was done, he threw a burp cloth over his shoulder and grabbed Elijah and the two towels and left the room. He stopped in the bathroom to hang the towels back up and then went into the living room where Madison was watching her mother intensely. Olivia had brought in three logs and had started a fire that Fitz could already feel warming the house up. He watched for a few more seconds as she prodded the wood, then closed the wired netting and put the baby gate back in front of it.

"You ready for this guy?"

"Yea, why don't we just do her calendar out here while I feed him."

"Alright, here, you take him, and I'll get it. Mads, go get comfy on the couch."

Olivia began nursing Elijah as Madison sat between her parents, listening to the nightly reading from their church's Advent guide.

For the past three weeks each night they opened a new square on Madison's calendar and the little girl would squeal in excitement at the piece of chocolate that she was able to eat. Fitz and Olivia on the other hand were more excited to read the lesson of the night because they both wanted to instill certain beliefs and values in their daughter's life. They wanted her to know the love of Christ and hoped that she would one day accept him into her heart. As they began listening to the story, Madison stopped her daddy ever so often to ask him a question about what he had read. She was very interested in the fact that people followed a star to find baby Jesus. Her little mind couldn't wrap around everything that he was saying but both Olivia and Fitz loved that she seemed to crave more of the story. She was delighted to hear about the different gifts that were brought to baby Jesus but she did not understand how he could play with them because when her baby brother was born he could not play with anything at all and he did not need gifts. It was another fifteen minutes until they were done reading and prayed together as a family. Elijah had long since ate from both breasts and was being burped by his father.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day and mommy is going to be pretty busy so daddy is going to need you to be his big helper with Elijah OK?"

"OK Mommy." Madison spoke while yawning and rubbing her eyes with her little fist.

"Yeah, I know you can be such a big girl for mommy. All right sweet girl I love you so much. daddy's going to tuck you in OK?"

She nodded her head sleepily and Olivia gave her one last big squeeze before pulling back and kissing her lips. Fitz passed Elijah back to Olivia before scooping up Madison in his arms and carrying her down to her bedroom. Her little legs were wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck as he swayed for a few moments next to her bed. Scooter was already in his respective spot, lounging as though he had spent the entire day working.

"Daddy loves you, best girl. Good night."

Fits kissed her cheek twice before pulling back her comforter and sheet and laying her down before tucking her back in.

By the time Olivia had walked into Elijah's room to put him down, Fitz was waiting for her with his swaddle blanket and wrapped their little boy up before stuffing his pacifier in his mouth.

"Goodnight my Sweet Elijah. Mommy loves you so much."

"Night big guy. Love you."

He was kissed and laid down before his parents left the room, closing the door behind them. They knew he would be out for the night so didn't bother grabbing the monitor from their bedroom after changing into their night clothes and retreating to the living room.

Fitz headed straight for the liquor cabinet and grabbed a tumbler out before filling it halfway with Scotch.

"You want something, Livvie?"

She declined and Fitz continued making his drink with a few cubes of ice added in. He knew she didn't like to pump and dump unless she really wanted a drink. Olivia watched him from the couch as he moved around the kitchen with ease. There was no reason to rush and she knew he enjoyed the stillness in their home as much as she did. He was finally on his way to her, and Olivia felt her body respond to his presence as he sat beside her. Fitz lifted his left arm and waited for her to snuggle into his side before he pulled her closer. Fitz wrapped his arm around her, his hand splayed wide on her ass. He groped and squeezed her ass and hip a few times before his hand stilled and his lips moved from her forehead, to her nose, and finally her lips. His right hand titled her chin up as he deepened the kiss for a few moments. Olivia moved closer into his embrace when they parted and sighed contently.

"I'm excited to give you your Christmas gift, Livvie."

"You know you could just tell me what it is now. I wouldn't mind."

"Oh really, now?"

"Really. In fact I could give you a gift now too, if you want."

"You drive a hard bargain Mrs. Grant, but I think I can control myself."

"Well that's no fun."

"Well when we open our Christmas Eve gifts, maybe you'll luck out and get something extra special."

"Extra special pjs?"

"Exactly."

He laughed and took a swallow of his drink before leaning to his right to sit it down.

"What are you most thankful for this year, Livvie?"

"You. Our healthy, beautiful children. Our family, and our life. What about you."

"Everything you said. You being at the top of the list. I never imagined that I would have this life."

"What do you mean? A family?"

"No, I mean THIS life. I figured I'd get married and have a kid or two but did I think it'd be like this? Something that exceeded any expectations I could have had? Never in a million years."

"Preaching to the choir, babe."

"I wanna grow so old with you, Livvie," Fitz began sighing heavily before he continued talking. "I don't want to get old and have our babies grow up on me, but I wanna grow old with you. To just spend forever like this, loving you and holding you until we die."

She laughed softly and jabbed a finger in his side. "Don't talk about us dying. I can't fathom that, but I do wanna grow so, so old with you."

"How old?"

"Old enough to where you'll have to fake an orgasm because you know I'm gonna kill over if you don't."

Olivia snorted and brought her left hand up to caress his jaw. Her husband was something else.

"I love you, Fitz."

"I love you, too."

* * *

When Olivia and Harrison arrived to The Grant's home on Christmas Eve, she walked in and smiled at the many voices that could be heard from the living room. Not only was Sarah's family in town for the next three days, but Catherine's sister, Carol was in town with her husband and Fitz's two cousins. Twins David and Daniel were just one year younger than Fitz and the three of them grew up together until Carol, her husband Jim and the boys moved to Florida before they began eleventh grade. It was a hard year for the three boys because they had always been so close, but they'd managed to keep in touch over the years between summer breaks and family holidays. His cousins/best friends moving away was also the reason he and Sarah had become so close; they were all each other really had growing up. Being able to pick up her little brother from the airport meant everything to Olivia and she was happy to get back to the house in time for them to leave for the movie. The theater they always went to in town was playing old Disney movies and this week was The Lion King, which was deemed their Christmas movie. The adults wanted to relive the movie that was such a staple in their childhood, and they were all excited to share it with their little ones.

"Hey Mom!"

"Hi sweetie, glad you guys made it through the traffic before it got crazy. Hi there, handsome. How was your flight in?"

"Hey Momma C," Harrison said bringing her close for a hug and kissing her cheek. "the flight was easy. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you."

"So, did you make it?"

Olivia watched with confusion written on her face as Harrison wiggled his eyebrows up and down. She had no clue what they were talking about, but watched her mother-in-law's face smile in recognition at her little brother.

"Did I make you a promise?"

Harrison clapped his hands and brought her in for another hug and kiss before walking further into the house.

"What was that about?" She asked Catherine. Before she could answer, they both laughed at the sound of Madison squealing for her "Uncle Boss".

"Just a very specific dish he asked me to make sure was here for Christmas."

Olivia rolled her eyes, knowingly, "Banana Pudding?"

"Banana Pudding" Catherine confirmed shaking her head. "I can't say no to him the same way I can't say no to Fitzgerald, or Sarah, or you. Alright, I need you to help me rally the troops. If we plan to sit together for this movie and make it there in time, we need to leave out now."

"Alright, you take upstairs, I'll take this floor and the basement."

* * *

"Mommy, Daddy, Santa came!"

Fitz and Olivia squirmed from their semi-uncomfortable place on the couch and untangled their limbs before turning to see their daughter. She was excited. Olivia fully turned around from where she had been burrowed into her husband's chest and faced Madison's fidgeting frame. She slightly bounced on the heels of her feet and twisted her fingers together, waiting for permission to start opening presents.

"What time is it, Toots?" Olivia asked mid- yawn.

Madison turned her head to the tv box before looking back at her parents.

"Six, four, two."

Fitz, who was listening groaned and finally opened his eyes up to see his gorgeous daughter who was clearly ready to open gifts.

"Mads, it's still kinda early to be up, baby girl. Why don't we all go snuggle in the big bed and you can watch one show.."

"Fitz"!" Olivia spoke in an unbelievable tone as she turned to look at him. She couldn't believe he was really gonna make Madison wait to open gifts after she had already seen what was under the tree.

Olivia felt him squeeze her hip before he looked at Madison and began speaking again.

"Why don't me and mommy pick out one of your gifts for you to open in our room and we can wait just a little while before we open the rest."

"But why, Daddy? It's Christmas and Santa left all out presents!"

It seemed as though Madison had practiced the pout she'd given them. It was so good,that Fitz was almost tempted to cave in and allow her to rip everything open. Almost.

"Now you were the one that promised to show FJ how to open Christmas presents or did you forget?"

"Oh yea! I gotta open mine and some of his cause he's a baby and can't do it all by himself!"

That made her more excited and more eager to open them.

"But what's the most important thing that a baby needs? Do you remember?"

"To get good naps?"

"Yes, to rest. Whether at bedtime or nap time, baby's have to rest and that's why I want to let FJ sleep just a little bit longer before we wake him up for Christmas."

"But Daddy..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence because loud cries flooded in from the hallway causing Madison's face to light up with glee.

"Well isn't it a Christmas miracle" Fitz muttered under his breath. He was really looking forward to getting a little more rest but his children clearly had other plans. "Alright, sounds like he's awake. Let's go get him and start the fun."

"Yes!" Madison jumped up, throwing her hands in the air before taking off towards Elijah's nursery.

Olivia rolled off the couch and stood up before reaching out to grab Fitz's hand and pulling him into a sitting position. Seeing that he was milking his tiredness extra hard, she sent him a sly smile and straddled his lap before kissing him fully on the lips to wake him up.

"Your children are waiting to open presents."

Fitz groaned and stood up with her still wrapped around his body and began walked towards the nursery. Just before he stepped into the room, Fitz turned so they could both see inside of the room. Madison was on her knees looking in between the crib slates at Elijah who was doing the exact same thing. Both were smiling brightly at one another and Fitz and Olivia looked on feeling extremely blessed in that moment.

"Merry Christmas, Livvie"

"Merry Christmas, Fitz."

* * *

**OKAY. So I hope you enjoyed that chapter. I did something different (I think) in that I didn't want to give every scene a full ending, but wanted to kind of let you guys imagine that on your own. I hope that wasn't stupid but that you enjoyed seeing so many little snippets. Please review and let me know what you think. I appreciate it so much!**

**Jen**


	25. Chapter 24

_So I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna hold you  
Like I'm saying goodbye wherever we're standing  
I won't take you for granted 'cause we'll never know when  
When we'll run out of time so I'm gonna love you  
Like I'm gonna lose you  
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you_

_-Like I'm Gonna Lose You: Meghan Trainor_

**AN: Okay, so I have been letting you guys know that there would only be one chapter left of this story. I'll say after much convincing from people and a few specific reviews, I have decided to not stop at the next chapter. Instead of the 25 chapters I planned to write, I'm expanding it to about 35 chapters. I have a few more things left to tell about this family so instead of leaving it to your imagination, I'm gonna tell you a few more things. I'm so grateful for the supportive words you've sent for this story and I hope you'll stick with me a little longer and that this comes as good news. This chapter is dedicated to Lynn. You send me such funny things and I appreciate it. Here is the next one! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Good Morning… Livvie? Wake up, baby."

"You said I could sleep in. You promised me."

"I know but…"

"No buts, Fitzgerald. A promise is a promise."

Olivia rolled over to the edge of the bed and buried her face into the mattress. She felt Fitz leave the bed and go into the bathroom. When she heard the shower being turned on, she leaned up and glanced at the clock and growled before forcing her face back into the mattress. She really was going to kill him. When he returned she felt him hovering over her before his hands burrowed under her body and turned her towards him so that he could scoop her up.

"I'm so angry with you" she whined, not being able to stop herself from turning in his comfortable arms and burying her face into his bare chest. "It's five-thirty and you promised that you would get the kids ready when they got up and handle them so that I could have the morning to myself."

"I know I did." He moved into the bathroom before sitting her on the counter and lifting the lace nightgown from her body.

"Ahh, it's cold." Olivia said when her thighs made contact with the cold marble once her nightgown was removed. "You're a liar." She rubbed her eyes with the tips of her fingers before yawning loudly and staring at him.

"I'm still keeping my promise to you, baby. I'm gonna get Mads ready for school and take Elijah to mom's and then bring him back on my lunch break. But first I'm going to make sweet, hard love to my wife in the shower before our kids even think about waking up and ruining the way I want you to start your special day."

Olivia was smiling coyly now and brought her hands up, each resting on one of his cheeks. She felt the moisture pool between her legs and felt the bathroom start to heat up and perspire.

"How do you want me to start this special day?"

Fitz barely leaned down before his lips were on hers and they both opened their mouth simultaneously so their tongues could explore. Her hands left his face and moved to hips, pushing her panties down her thighs and kicking them to the floor. Fitz pulled away when he felt her push his boxers down and grab a hold of his erect member in her soft hand.

"You're gonna start this day having multiple birthday orgasms."

"Birthday orgasms?"

Fitz nodded before reaching under her arms and hoisting her into his body. Olivia's legs wrapped tightly around his waist as he began walking slowly towards the shower.

"Yes ma'am. So many birthday orgasms that you're gonna go right back to sleep."

"That's exactly what I wished for.

* * *

Olivia lay on her stomach atop the massage table and waited for the masseuse to return. She had felt bad about not spending the morning with the kids, but Fitz assured her that she deserved a morning to fully sleep in and pamper herself on her birthday. She of course forced him to allow Madison in to give her a goodbye kiss but Elijah hadn't been so lucky. She knew if she allowed the nine month old in her arms for just a second, he would be groping her breast with demands of nursing. Olivia could picture his frowning face when Fitz gave him a bottle to drink as he sat in the high hair and she wish he would've snapped a picture of the rare moment.

It was only minutes into the massage when Olivia felt herself drifting off. You would think she hadn't gotten a full night's sleep but after Elijah was born, sleep had taken on an entire new meaning. Olivia slept whenever she could now. The soothing feel of the oil being massaged into her skin gave her the green light to allow sleep to overcome.

/

Fitz pulled up to his parent's house and walked right into the unlocked front door.

"Mom? Dad?"

He didn't believe Elijah would be asleep yet. He usually didn't sleep anywhere but his crib anyway. Their boy was the complete opposite of his big sister.

"Fitzgerald, in here."

Fitz followed his mother's voice to the kitchen where he saw saw her bagging up what looked like colorful ice cubes.

"Hey Mom, what's all this?" He asked gesturing to the three use trays.

"This is for you to take with you. I told Liv I was making FJ some homemade baby food and I'd send them over with you today."

"That's baby food?"

"Yep, just puréed and frozen in ice trays so all you have to do is take a few cubes out and let them thaw out. It's very simple, and it's all fresh fruits and veggies for my grandson."

"Well thank you for doing that."

"It was nothing. I enjoyed it. I'll have another batch ready Friday. With his size, it'll be gone in no time. He definitely takes after you in that department. He ate four squares of it today!"

Catherine glanced down at Fitz's stomach and lifted an eyebrow before looking away.

"Hey, all babies are supposed to be rolley and chunky."

"Yea, but son it was like you had something to prove. At least FJ is moving around now. I thought he would outweigh you for a while but you still hold the fattest baby ever title."

She pinched his cheek before putting the final bag into the small cooler she had taken out.

"Where's Dad and FJ?"

"In the playroom. He's been teaching him to walk, so be mindful. If you wake up in a couple of weeks and your ten month old is walking, blame your father."

Fitz shook his head and made his way downstairs to the basement. The large room had finally been remodeled and turned into a playroom/bedroom for the grandkids. They had revealed it to Madison, Addy, and Elijah at Christmas and of course Madison was the only one that could show her excitement for the room. It was full of toys, art supplies, games, a small twin bed, a tv, bean bag chairs and other baby toys as well.

Fitz stood at the door watching his father and son play. It was a scene he loved to come in on and he usually had to pry his son away from his father. He knew they would be very close and it reminded him of the relationship he didn't have with his grandfather. Fitz wondered if that was something his father thought of whenever he spent time with his grandchildren. Fitz nor Sarah had a relationship with their grandparents and it was obvious his father was breaking that cycle. He was the doting grandfather and Elijah loved him dearly. Fitz thought Madison was close with her grandfather but there was something extra special about watching his father with his son that he loved.

Jerry was on his knees with Elijah holding on to his large index fingers as the baby took wobbly stow forward.

"That's it FJ. Walk to your Grandpa!"

"Pah! Pah!"

"What the hell? It's like pulling teeth to get him to say Dada!"

Both heads turned and looked towards the new voice in the room and Fitz smiled at the way Elijah's face lit up the second he noticed who it was. Fitz returned his son's smile and moved closer before falling to this knees and holding his hands out.

"Come here buddy. Come to dada."

Just as Fitz suspected, Elijah began bouncing in his direction and opened and closed his mouth repeatedly as though he wanted to say the words, but no sound came out. After getting tired of bouncing in place, Elijah slowly lowered himself to the floor and once his bottom was safely plopped into place, he released Jerry's fingers and crawled towards Fitz. He lifted his hands to his knees and pulled himself up before pushing on his tippy-toes and burrowing his curly head into Fitz's chest.

Fitz placed a hand under Elijah's bottom and held him to his chest before standing straight up and cuddling the boy close. Elijah's arms went straight around Fitz's neck and squeezed tightly, giving Fitz the best feeling in the world. He wasn't sure when his son picked it up, but those little neck hugs he gave were the best thing in the world to Fitz. It was like a real hug and he would always squeeze tight.

"Hi Big Guy." Fitz spoke softly into his ear before moving to kiss at his neck and jaw, causing the little boy to squirm and giggle.

"Did you have a good day with Grandpa and Grammie?"

Fitz lifted Elijah high above him in the air and laughed at the giggles that escaped the boy. He moved his fingers against his skin, laughing when his shirt rode up exposing his round belly. Fitz brought him back down and blew several raspberries against his soft skin, making the baby laugh uncontrollably and pass gas.

"Did you toot? Are you being a tooter? Huh? Stinky tooter?"

He repeated the actions of blowing on his skin before tossing him up in the air a few times. Fitz held him to his chest while his breathing went back to normal and the small boy rubbed at his eyes. It would soon be nap time and Fitz held out a hand to help his father up before the two men made their way upstairs.

"What time is the reservation tonight?"

"Six sharp. Me and Liv will be there by six-fifteen and I'm just hoping everyone will be on time. I want to make this nice for her."

"I know you do. Last year's birthday wasn't so great, so this is your do over."

"Yea, this guy drained his momma and her cold had her passed out most of the day. Plus it's her actual birthday so I really wanna make it count."

"Who's keeping the kids?" Catherine dried her hands off and reached her hands out for Elijah. The little boy smiled at her but held tightly to his father's arm before he buried his head in his bicep.

"We got a sitter."

"Who?"

Fitz sighed seeing the look on his mother's face. They had only used a sitter once before and it was always a task to get his wife to actually leave them with a sitter. Usually his parents or one of their friends would keep the kids, but everyone they knew and trusted would be at Liv's dinner tonight so they had to get a sitter.

"McKenzie from down the street is gonna watch them. She's watched them once before."

"Both of them?" Jerry spoke up.

"Well, we already had FJ down for her so she just played with Mads before putting her in bed."

"How old is she? Are you gonna have FJ already in bed that early? Maybe I should stay with the kids?"

Fitz looked to his father and was surprised he was the one playing two questions instead of his mother. Everyone else seemed to be paranoid about s sitter except for Fitz.

"I think she'll be fine, Dad. It's Len's big sister, she's seventeen and has siblings who she's always has been around. FJ will only be up for about twenty minutes before she'll have to put him down and just focus on Madison."

"Make sure you leave all the emergency numbers for her and out in the open so she doesn't have to go searching. Does she know to not be on her phone with friends but actually watching the children? FJ is into everything now and one second of not watching him could be an accident waiting to happen. Make sure my number is on the contact list, Fitzgerald."

"You realize you're making me paranoid about leaving my kids with a sitter, don't you?"

"I'm just saying my peace. But if Olivia is willing to leave them both, then I'm sure she's more than capable of taking care of them for a few hours. She'll give her the third degree anyway. Come here grandson and let me kiss your face."

She grabbed Elijah from Fitz's arms, ignoring his protests, and smothered his face in kisses before passing him to Jerry who gave him a couple of tickles on his belly before kissing his head and passing him back to Fitz.

"Thanks for keeping him. I'll see you guys tonight."

Fitz left out with the diaper bag on his shoulder and buckled Elijah into the backwards facing car seat before he tucked the fleece blanket around his son, over the straps.

"You warm, buddy? Let's get you home for lunch and a nap, okay? You ready to see Mama?"

"Ma... Ma.." Elijah responded. He peered through the mirror that was across from his seat and watched as Fitz got in the driver's seat and smiled at him. "Ma!"

"Yep, you finally get to see your Ma"

Fitz was a few minutes late getting back home than what he told his wife, but it would be worth the look on her face. Hearing her in the kitchen, he grabbed a single white rose from the dozen he had picked up and handed it to Elijah before letting him hold on to his finger. He slowly moved towards Olivia who stood bent over with her head in the sink and the water running. Fitz never questioned why she didn't just shower to wash her hair because she'd usually give him a specific look whenever he would. It always left him lost and he'd learned his lesson a while ago; there were just somethings he'd never understand about Olivia and her hair.

Getting a different idea, Fitz lifted Elijah up went to grab the vase of flowers from the laundry room and came back into the kitchen. Olivia was still busy with her hair under the running water so he placed the chubby baby on the island before grabbing a few more roses and sitting them in Elijah's lap. He moved behind him and ducked down so that he wasn't visible but kept his hand on Elijah's back.

"Livvie!"

Fitz called with his hand cupped around his mouth.

"Babe? I'm in the kitchen."

"Livvie." Fitz peaked around the counter and noticed she hadn't moved from her position.

"Yea, give me a minute."

"Livvie!" He tried one more time, laughing when he hears her groan.

"You know you guys are late right? I knew you'd stay talking to your parents and I should've just.."

"MA!"

Olivia stopped wringing her curls out and turned around at the sudden noise and smiled at Elijah sitting atop the island and covered in roses. She grabbed the small towel she had and wrapped it around her hair before securing it in a fold and moved to stand in front of him.

"Hi my chunky, handsome boy. Are these for me?" She brought a flower up to her nose and sniffed it before moving her hand to cover Fitz's on Elijah's back. Olivia intertwined their fingers before tugging on Fitz's hand and forcing him to stand up.

"Thank you baby." She said leaning in to kiss his lips.

Fitz moved to deepen the kiss for a few seconds before she pulled back and grinned at him.

"Did mom send the food for him?"

"Oh the frozen baby mush? Yea, it's in the car. I'll go grab it."

Fitz made sure Olivia still had her hand on Elijah's back before moving towards the garage to grab the cooler.

"Tell Daddy it's not baby mush, its yummy healthy food for your tummy." Olivia gently poked at his stomach that was inching slightly over his elastic sweatpants. She smiled at the adorable grin that had spread across his lips. "Was that food Grammie gave you, yummy for your tummy? Is it so full now?" Olivia continued to run her finger across his stomach, successfully distracting him from stuffing the flowers back in his mouth.

"Here it is. She labeled it too." Fitz said chuckling before he sat it next to Elijah.

"That's cause she is a good grandmother. I'm just glad that he likes them all. No more picky eaters in this house."

"Until the next one."

Olivia raised her eyes and lifted Elijah from the counter and onto her hip. She began to pick up the roses and place them back into the vase that Fitz had also brought in.

"So I push this chunk out just nine months ago and you wanna talk about knocking me up again? And so nonchalantly, I might add."

Fitz shrugged before going to the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water.

"I'm just sayin."

"Just sayin what?"

"That our kids should be close in age. You know, just get it out the way and then close up shop."

"Close up shop?"

"Before you tell me I'm not allowed to touch you anymore."

"Well maybe I already feel that way. Two is a good number. One boy, one girl. Easy."

"Yea, but we gave Mads a brother, it's only fair that we give her a sister, too."

"Why, because you promised I'd keep having babies until she got a sister?"

Fitz head snapped up and looked at her with shocked eyes. How the hell did she know that?

"Our five year old can't keep a secret from her Mama."

* * *

_Olivia sat in bed with Elijah asleep next to her against the blue and white striped boppy. He had just eaten and had passed out as soon as she began rubbing his back. It had been a long night with the three week old and Olivia did her best to let Fitz sleep through the night. He had to work that next morning and had been up with Elijah the night before. _

"_You should be awake so that you actually sleep tonight. I know your tummy hurts, but you gotta not be so fussy tonight for me, okay?"_

_She kissed his head and sat up straight before un-muting her tv and changing the channel. Right when Olivia was able to settle on a show to watch, her door creaked open and Madison walked in rubbing her eyes. She had only slept an hour and Olivia knew if she let her cuddle in bed with them, she was guaranteed at least another forty-five minutes of quiet time. _

"_Hi Toots. Let's have cuddle time okay? It's not quite time to get up yet."_

"_Does Lijah have to keep sleeping too?"_

"_He does. He needs lots and lots of sleep so he can grow bigger."_

"_Like me." A soft yawn escaped her lips and Olivia began scratching her scalp softly. _

"_Just like you sweet girl. All babies and even big kids and mommies and daddies need lots of rest."_

"_Will our new baby need lots of rest when you have her in a long while?"_

"_What new baby, Mads?"_

"_My sister."_

_Olivia knew Madison had more than come around to having a brother, so her daughter's words had her confused. _

"_Madison, there aren't any other babies in my tummy."_

"_But in a long while they will be. Daddy said we can't have another baby in your tummy for a long while."_

_Olivia nodded, wondering what all Fitz had told her. "Daddy is right. But just like Elijah came out of my tummy and is a boy, another baby could come out that's a boy."_

"_I know….." she trailed off and rubbed her eyes once more, signaling to Olivia that she would be back to sleep in just minutes. "Daddy said we can keep having babies in your tummy until it's a sister for me."_

"_Oh he did?"_

_Olivia felt her body grow heavier against hers before Madison nodded her head against Olivia's side. _

"_He promised me."_

* * *

"Well…. Every little girl needs a sister to grow up with. And two kids is boring anyway."

"Oh boring? When one is up in the middle of the night because she has a nightmare and wakes the other one up, that's boring?"

"You know what I mean. Not that I wouldn't mind having however many kids with you, but maybe the next one will be a girl and we'll be done."

"I doubt it. I can just imagine you only producing boys and my poor body will be old and worn out by the time we have a girl, like six kids later."

"Oh, so you're willing to have six more kids to get a girl?" he moved around the island to wrap his arms around her and pull her close with Elijah between them.

"Maybe." She would never say out loud that she wanted five kids, and could pass out just thinking of pushing out three more Grant babies, but she had her own agenda.

"You want another girl too, don't you?" Fitz asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Of course I do. I want to have a daughter with you."

"We already have a daughter together."

That was the first thing that came to his mind and it was a beautiful truth that almost brought tears to Olivia's eyes. There would never be a difference in paternity of their children in Fitz's mind and she loved him for it.

"I know, we do. But you know what I mean. I do want to have a daughter that we made together."

"I do too."

Fitz leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. She began to deepen the kiss, but Fitz pulled back and groaned.

"Aghhhh. Don't start something you can't finish, Liv. I need to get back to work and see one patient then I'm getting Mads and coming home."

"You sure you can't reschedule? I'm gonna feed him then put him down and we could have a quiet house, just you and me."

Fitz grimaced knowing he'd have to say no and took a step away from her the second he felt he erection began to grow.

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" she deadpanned. She was not excited about the 'surprise' plans he had for her birthday but tried to not show her frustration every time he mentioned it.

"Yes. We will celebrate with family and friends tonight, then tomorrow Mrs. Grant, you're mine for the entire day."

* * *

Fitz sat in the living room with the kids as he waited for Olivia to finish getting ready. It was almost six and he if they didn't leave in the next ten minutes, they wouldn't arrive until six-twenty-five. Ten minutes late wasn't so bad, and he would just let the blame fall on the birthday girl.

"Daddy, can I have more milk?"

Fitz moved from the table to refill her cup with more milk, but sat it in front of him instead of her.

"Eat more of your noodles and broccoli and you can have it."

She nodded her head before lifting a spiraled noodle from her plate and slurped it into her mouth. She licked her fingers dry before reaching for the cup.

"AH!" Fitz warned, stopping her hand in the process. He grabbed her fork and moved the majority of the cold pasta salad and tomatoes to one side, leaving only a small portion on the side. "You need to eat all your chicken and all these noodles and tomatoes if you want McKenzie to give you desert later."

"Can I eat two tomatoes only, Daddy?" Madison asked scrunching her face at the red food. She loved the food but was excited about being with a babysitter for the night. Since picking her up from school, Olivia had explained to Madison that Lennox's big sister would be watching her and Elijah tonight, and the little girl was eager.

"Mads, eat what I said." Fitz said with finality.

She complied with his instruction and Fitz turned back to wipe down Elijah's face. The little boy was definitely full from the food Fitz fed him and Olivia had already made sure there was a bottle for the sitter to give him before putting him to bed.

"Fitz, can you finish zipping me?"

The three Grants in the dining room turned at the sound of Olivia's heels against the hardwood floors. She had on a near skin-tight navy blue dress that stopped mid thigh with a strappy Nine West heels that was deemed as her go to shoe for a fun night out.

"Wow… You look…. Damn." Fitz held no shame eyeing her from head to toe, making Olivia blush and playfully shove his shoulder. "I'm just saying you definitely don't look like you've pushed out two babies and you surely don't look like a second grade teacher."

She raised her eyebrows at that, "So you're saying I look like what, exactly?"

"Like a woman that wants to be…." He leaned closer, bringing his lips to the shell of her ear before continuing, "fucked hard and deep."

Olivia felt her knees weaken and took a half a step back, before biting her bottom lip. Her husband could probably make her cum by just talking to her if he wanted to. Olivia felt Fitz press himself closer to her, allowing her to feel what her appearance was producing in his pants. She felt his eyes boring into her and forced herself to look away. When her eyes shifted left and noticed Madison looking curiously at the two of them, Olivia moved stand in front of Fitz, not wanting her daughter to witness any of her father's inappropriateness.

"Babe, my dress." Her elbow connected with his stomach and Fitz quickly finished zipping her dress before kissing her neck.

Fitz walked away from her immediately after that and went to grab a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Mommy, you look pretty! Can I have some make-up on too?"

"Maybe next time I do my make-up, we'll do some for you too."

Coughing was suddenly heard from the kitchen and Olivia glanced at Fitz who was clearly shaking his head against the idea. "Not gonna happen."

Olivia winked at Madison before moving the cup of milk in front of her to finish.

"Fitz can you put FJ in his pjs and have him in his sleep sack for when she gets here?"

Olivia stooped down and took a hold of Madison's fork before stabbing at a few pieces of pasta and holding it to her mouth. "Open up, last bite." Madison did as instructed and Olivia reached for a napkin from the holder and wiped at her hands. "Swallow" She then stabbed at the last piece of chicken and held it up to her mouth before winking at her when she accepted the bite. "Let's go get on your jammies."

"Is Len gonna wear his jammies, too?"

"Toots, only McKenzie is coming to watch you and Lijah. Len is gonna be at home with his mommy and daddy."

Madison's pout came immediately as Olivia grabbed a fresh night gown from her drawer and moved towards her half naked daughter. She was still chewing on the piece of chicken in her mouth and Olivia told her to finish swallowing as her put the nightgown over her head.

"But I wanted to play with him today."

"You did play with him today. You played with him at school."

"I wanted to play with him while you and daddy had date night too."

"It's almost you guy's bedtime, so he can't come over tonight, but maybe we'll have him over next week and you guys can play together. Turn around." Olivia spoke softly to her, wanting to not encourage her foul mood. When Madison turned around, Olivia began braiding one large braid down her back.

"Can he have a sleepover here?"

"Hmm, I don't think Daddy will like that."

"Why not? Friends can have sleepovers if they listen to their parents."

"Who do you want to have a sleepover with?" Fitz asked walking into the room. He was holding a sleepy-faced Elijah facing outwards and the little boy lit up when he saw Olivia.

"Ma ma ma ma"

"Hi handsome." Olivia looked up briefly at him and blew him a kiss.

Fitz sat on the bed next to Madison and sat Elijah on his sister's lap, facing her, who immediately wrapped her arms around her baby brother.

"She wants Lennox to sleep over soon."

"Best girl we only have friends that are girls over for a sleepover."

"But why? He's my best friend."

"I thought I was your best friend?" Fitz asked offended. He moved Elijah off of her lap and sat the boy in front of her after he continued to reached for Madison's hair.

"Daddyyyyy" she drawled out with a whine. "You're my best friend that's my daddy, but Len is my best friend that's a boy. He's my best boyfriend."

Her last statement came out as though her mind had finally connected the two words and she noticed how much they fit together. She was smiling too damn happily for Fitz and Olivia watched as her husband's brows shifted downward and was thankful for the ringing doorbell that stopped his next words.

Fitz snapped his finger at Scooter who had dropped his fresh chewing bone and barked as he moved to stand in front of the door. Once he was quiet and sitting obediently, Fitz opened the door and stepped aside as McKenzie walked inside. Fitz greeted McKenzie hello before gesturing for her to follow him into the living room. She took a seat on the edge of couch and smiled at Elijah who was staring at her with curious eyes.

"You're okay with dogs, right?" He was holding a hand out, a signal Scooter knew meant to be still.

"Yes, he's fine. Hi cutie" she spoke in a baby voice looking at Elijah and he smiled before burying his face into Fitz's tailored shirt.

"Are you gonna play shy FJ?" He tickled him under his chin before looking at the teenager and giving her some details for the night.

"Alright so they're both bathed, fed and dressed for bed. This guy needs a bottle that's already to go and then you can just lay him down. We'll turn his sleep machine on and the fan as well for you so you don't have to worry about that. He's already got his sleep sack on... Umm, Madison goes down at seven-thirty so you two can just play either or here with a game or puzzles or coloring or in her room. She knows to clean up when she's done and before she moves on to the next thing. She has a water cup we fill and keep by her bed at night and once Elijah is down, she can have dessert. Just two Oreos and there's already milk left in her cup from dinner. That's all she needs. She'll try to talk you into one more but she knows better. Don't let her pull anything over on you."

"I won't. Len is the same way" McKenzie nodded and chuckled softly. Usually when she babysat it was the moms giving her the rundown and not the dad, so this was different. "Does she have a bedtime routine?"

"Hi Kenz" Olivia greeted walking out with Madison holding tightly to her hand and hiding behind her leg.

"Hi Mrs. Grant, Hi Madison" she bent down to wave at Madison and the three of them were surprised at her shy behavior.

"They're both being shy now. Mads, be polite and say hi." Fitz instructed and after she gave a tiny wave, Madison unwound herself from Olivia's leg and moved to Fitz's long leg.

Olivia noticed him roll his eyes and moved to grab Elijah from his arms before he scooped Madison up and held her on his hip.

"After dessert, she can brush her teeth and before bedtime use the bathroom. What else do we do before bedtime, baby?" Fitz rubbed her back trying to relax her so she wouldn't throw a tantrum when it was time for them to go. They would already be running a few minutes behind at the rate they were moving.

"Story" she mumbled quietly into his chin. She had the top of her head pushed into the side of Fitz's neck while her lips were at his jaw. While one eye was hidden her other was peeking at McKenzie as her fingers played with the collar of her daddy's shirt. She had only ever been left with family members, which basically included Quinn, so having a new sitter had the nerves overpowering her previous excitement.

"Yes we read one bedtime story, then we read from her Jesus storybook Bible, she can pick the chapter she wants and then sometimes she wants to sing a verse of the itsy-bitsy spider but sometime she doesn't. If she does ask for it, only do it one time because it will be bedtime, not playtime." Olivia started speaking to McKenzie, but ended with her eyes on Madison in warning tone.

"Did you hear what Mommy said?" Fitz said looking at Madison and making sure her eyes connected with his. She nodded her head and Fitz gave her a certain look before speaking again.

"When we get home tonight you will already be asleep, but we do not want to get a report that you were not listening to McKenzie and that you did not go to bed like you are supposed to, do you understand me? We expect you to listen and be obedient."

She nodded her head as she finally made we contact with Fitz. "Yes ma'am."

"Remember what we say for daddy? For mommy it's ma'am and for daddy it's what?"

"Sir!" Madison said with her eyes opening wide as she remembered the correct word. "Yes sir, daddy." She finished proudly.

It was a new level of manners and respect they were trying to instill in their young daughter and so far it was going well. They didn't expect her to say sir and ma'am with every single thing that she said, but it seemed like she was catching on to when they expected her to use the words.

Fitz chuckled before sniffing at her neck and kissing her cheeks, earning the giggling he expected from her.

"Okay, I'll let you take him..." Olivia said moving closer to McKenzie. She pivoted towards the teenager and just as she was about to hand him over, Elijah's chubby fingers gripped the front of her shirt and he forced his head to Olivia's chest. His wails were the perfect indication that he was not happy with his mother trying to pass him off.

"Oh Bub, don't do that. Kenzie's gonna give you some milk then you're gonna go night-night."

Olivia pried his fingers from her dress and handed him to McKenzie before turning to Fitz. It was as if Olivia could read exactly what her husband was thinking as he watched his son squirm and lean towards them as fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Babe, we need to leave if we want to get there at a decent time." Fitz was even getting anxious and Olivia could tell.

"Can you feed him and put him down before we leave? You know if he's worked up he's not going to go down at all."

Olivia grabbed Madison from him and sat her on her own two feet before looking at Fitz.

"I've already pumped for him and you know if I take him in there he's gonna want the real thing. Just feed him and put him down so we can get out of here. You know you want to anyway."

Fitz narrowed his eyes at her, trying to hide the smile that was on his lips. She was right. He couldn't stand to see Elijah this upset and it had taken everything in him to not snatch his boy into his arms from the young girl. Olivia would give him hell in the car if he did such a thing.

"Come here Big Guy."

Fitz stepped forward and grabbed Elijah and the baby immediately stopped crying then turned and looked at McKenzie. Fitz shook his head before letting Olivia kiss the baby goodnight and heading to the nursery to feed him and put him down.

When they were out of eyesight, Olivia turned and sent the teenager a sheepish smile before apologizing to her. Olivia moved to pick up the dishes they had left on the table from dinner and encouraged Madison to show McKenzie where all her toys were.

The sound of a phone ringing stopped Olivia's path to the sink and she plucked her cell from her handbag before securing the phone between her ear and shoulder.

_"Liv, are you guys close? You should've been here by now"_

"Not really, Abs. We'll be there soon."

_"Have you at least left the house?"_

"We are walking out the door now."

_"Lies. Liv leave the kids with the sitter and get here, it's your birthday! It's only for a few hours anyway."_

"As soon as Fitz gets FJ down, we will be on the way."

_"That why you hired a sitter. Why isn't she..."_

"Drop it Abby, we'll be there soon. Order me a glass of red and Fitz a water."

_"Water?"_

"He's driving tonight. I'll see you soon, just tell the waiter to start bringing the appetizers out. I'll text you when we are in the car."

Olivia hung up the phone before moving to the freezer. Her telling Abby to order her wine was the perfect reminder for her to take out a frozen bag of breast milk for Elijah in the morning. She would definitely have to pump and dump tonight. Olivia walked down the hall towards the bedrooms and noticed that Madison was playing happily with McKenzie and took that as her chance to kiss her goodnight.

"Toots, you be a good listener, okay? You guys can do dessert now if you want. I love you." Madison moved to kiss her but Olivia pulled back knowing the little girl wanted to have some lipstick transfer from her stained lips.

"Eskimo kiss tonight, Toots"

Madison rubbed noses with her other before dragging McKenzie into the kitchen to get her dessert. Olivia poked her head into the nursery just as Fitz was walking away from the crib. She held a hand out to him and he accepted it before closing the baby's door and walking towards the garage behind her.

"Bye Mads. Love you sweetie."

Madison spun around at her name and ran towards her parents.

"Daddy wait, I need to hug and kiss you goodbye."

Fitz crouched down and opened his arms for Madison. She circled her arms around his neck before giving him a kiss on the lips.

"Bye Best Girl. Be good and we'll see you in the morning."

"One more!" Madison puckered up her lips and waited for her kiss.

Fitz inwardly groaned but complied before kissing her and standing up straight.

"Thank you Kenzie." Olivia called before walking through the garage and getting into the car.

Fitz began to follow behind her when he felt tugging on his jacket. He turned to see Madison clutching his jacket with one hand while her other brought her chunky braid towards her lips. There were tears in her eyes and Fitz tried his best to not be annoyed by her behavior. It was new, but she'd be fine once she was playing with McKenzie. She had clearly waited for her mother to be out of sight before cornering him.

"Mads, I need you to stop, okay."

"But Daddy, I wanna go with you and Mommy."

The second he bent his body to her height so he wouldn't be talking down to her, Madison was wound tightly around him and he sighed.

"Alright, look at me."

She stayed burrowed in his neck and Fitz continued with a more stern voice.

"Madison Olivia Grant look at me, please." Fitz began and continued when she obeyed. "I'm taking mommy out and you are going to stay here with McKenzie. You need to be a big girl and go finish your dessert or I'm going to put you to bed right now and you won't have any dessert. You can choose which one you want but either way you cannot come with me and Mommy tonight."

Madison's pout was deep but she slowly slid off Fitz's lap and took two steps backwards.

"Come on Madison, we're gonna have fun okay." Fitz looked up and noticed McKenzie standing in the doorway and smiled in thanks at her attempt to help out.

He watched as Madison turn around and grabbed a hold of McKenzie's hand before the two of them made their way back into the kitchen. Fitz stood up straight and leaned his head against the wall. He hated to see her cry. It was bad enough Elijah pulled the water works earlier but to have both of his kids crying was almost too much for Fitz. Sighing he pushed himself off the wall and walked into the kitchen to see her sitting at the table. She turned around when she heard his footsteps and he kneeled down beside her chair before cupping her cheeks and using his thumb to wipe her face dry.

"I need to see you smile before I leave okay? Be brave and give me one of those beautiful smiles okay?"

Madison immediately calmed down at her daddy's touch and a smile slowly began to spread across her lips at his words.

"That's better. I'll come in and give you kisses when we get home okay? I love you best girl. One more kiss." Fitz made the final request and after she gave him one last smooch, he was out the door.

"What was that all about?" Olivia asked confused and checking her phone. Abby refused to stop texting her about how late they were.

"Oh nothing. Just your children having more control over me that I like to admit."

He shook his head as he reversed out of the garage and once it closed he drove as fast and safely as he could to get to the restaurant.

/

Olivia walked ahead of Fitz into the swanky restaurant and the occupants stood up and applauded the arrival of their guest of honor. They had rented out a room at the Four Square restaurant near downtown Durham and the party would be served the four course meal, choosing from a specific menu for the evening.

Olivia went around the table hugging everyone who was there while Fitz moved to sit in the empty seat on the opposite end of the table. It was obvious that Abby had directed everyone on where to sit and both Olivia and Fitz occupied an end seat while couples were staggered in between. Abby had brought along David who Olivia greeted with a hug and smile. She and Fitz had gone on a few double dates with Abby and David and they all got along well, he and Olivia having an easy banter they all laughed at. Quinn was there with a significant other she'd been dating for a couple of month and Liv knew she recognized him. He had worked at Apple Creek and Olivia had seen him in the carpool lane a few times but she hadn't realized how much Quinn liked him until she was bold enough to ask him out herself. Tonya from Olivia's school and her husband were there and rounding out the crowd were Jerry and Catherine.

"You know I'm judging you." Abby said loudly as Olivia finished hugging Jerry and Catherine.

"I know, I know, we are so late but we finally made it."

"What took you guys so long?"

"Was it the sitter?"

"She was great, it wasn't anything with her, both kids just had a rough time... letting go tonight."

"This is new for them. My poor babies are probably traumatized right now."

"They're completely fine, Abby." Fitz spoke up. "I ended up putting FJ down because he refused to be handed over."

"And Shorty?"

"She's another story. First she was shy, then she was fine, and all I know is that I kissed her goodbye and walked out and it took this guy far too long to follow after me."

Fitz smirked in her direction, knowing his wife would throw him under the bus. Everyone always poked fun at how much he hated to see the kids upset and always would try to make it better for them.

"I just gave her a few extra hugs and promised to come kiss her when I got in, I swear."

"So you won't be ordering an extra dessert to go?" Quinn said smiling toward Fitz.

"No I will not."

Everyone laughed knowing anytime he went out he would promise to bring Madison home dessert from the restaurant.

_Clink Clink Clink Clink_

"Alright, enough kid talk. My godchildren are amazing but tonight we are celebrating their amazing mother."

Abby nodded to Fitz and reached for the fresh glass of Scotch that the waiter had just brought out. He knew one drink wouldn't hurt. He stood up and stared intently across the table at Olivia.

"I would like to raise a toast to my wife Olivia. She is the most giving, loving, kind hearted person. She's funny, smart, classy and the most beautiful person inside and out I've ever met. I'm so glad I get to call her mine. She was born on a leap year, but we finally made it to your actual birthday. Happy Birthday Livvie."

"_Happy Birthday, Olivia, Liv_" was heard around the table as glasses gently touched and Olivia stood from her seat and walked towards the other end of the table. Even knowing all eyes were on her, Olivia leaned up and captured Fitz's lips in a soft kiss that deepened until cat calls and groaning were heard around the table and they broke apart. Fitz winked at her before he walked her back to her seat and pulled her chair out for her and returned to his.

The dinner was going great and by the time the main dish was half consumed by everyone, Olivia was on her third glass of wine and feeling the effects of the drink. Fitz watched her from his side of the table and loved how carefree and happy she looked. He promised himself that he would spend the rest of his life making sure she spent her days just as carefree and happy. Her eyes caught his from across the table just as the waiters were removing their dinner plates. Fitz could make out her lips telling the waiter which dessert she wanted, then he saw her finger point towards him before the man nodded and walked away. Olivia continued her conversation with Tonya before she stood up and began walking towards Fitz.

"Hi beautiful" he greeted her, smiling at her glassy brown eyes.

"Hi"

Fitz instinctively moved his chair back, making room for Olivia to slide into his lap and he was happy when he noticed everyone focus on each other instead of them.

"Are you drunk?" Fitz whispered against the shell of her ear.

"Not really."

"Not really? I think you just might be."

"Why do you say that?" Instead of speaking near his ear, her lips were at the corner of her mouth, giving him the perfect opportunity to smell the wine on her breath.

"Besides the fact that you've barely had more than a few sips of wine since before FJ was born, I know you Livvie. You might not be wasted, but I'm definitely cutting you off for the night baby."

"Just one more sip..." She trailed off and looked down at her wine glass that was half empty and seemed so far away. She pouted before shifting her gaze and noticed just a gulp of scotch left in Fitz's glass and picked it up and downed it before he could protest. "Now I'm done."

He smiled and gripped her thigh tighter before closing his lips around hers. He snuck his tongue in her mouth and could still taste the wine with a new hint of scotch on her tongue and loved it. Fitz groaned and pulled away when he felt a kick from under the table.

"She made me do it" David admitted and pointed towards his red-headed girlfriend that was watching them with a disgusted look on her face.

"Could you two stop? The poor guy wants to get dessert over with so they can get home."

Everyone chuckled but Olivia didn't care and neither did Fitz. He knew that she had a bit too much to drink because she had never willingly made out with him in front of his parents and right now she didn't seem to have a care in the world. She turned in Fitz's lap to face her guest as the man placed the dessert shed ordered in front of them and they all began to serenade her. She smiled at her closest friends and family and reached for Fitz's arms to wrap around her tightly. He was sitting up straight and singing against her ear as the single candle flickered atop the white chocolate raspberry ganache with lemon buttercream flakes and almond slithers.

_"Happy birthday dear Olivia. Happy birthday to you."_

* * *

"You promised! Don't go in there acting this way, Fitz."

He pretended to drag his feet and mope for a few more seconds before he laughed and matched her pace of walking.

"I'm just messing with you."

"You're not gonna chicken out? You promised you wouldn't and that you'd completely participate no matter how strange it got. It is my birthday gift after all."

"Scouts honor."

He smirked in her direction before he pulled her closer and threw an arm around her shoulder. He opened the door for them and Olivia went straight to the front desk as she normally did and signed their names in.

"Olivia, good to see you. Is this your husband?"

Olivia smiled at the instructor and accepted the friendly hug before smiling and gesturing to Fitz. "You too. Yes, this is Fitz. Fitz, this is Jonie my instructor."

"Good to meet you." Fitz responded shaking her hand and following the two of them as they wordlessly began walking down a hallway. Fitz followed and glanced into each room they passed, his fingers still intertwined with Olivia's as she walked ahead.

"So we are still waiting on our last couple, but you guys can go in and take the spot near Jenna and Fitziel. We'll start in just a couple of minutes."

They both nodded and walked in. Olivia held in her laugh as she watched Fitz pull at his basketball shorts and t-shirt. Olivia assured him that he would be fine wearing that along with a work out shirt. She was wearing her usual yoga attire of athletic work out leggings and a razorback dry fit tank top. Fitz and Olivia greeted the other two couples in the room, then moved to lay their mats out and sat down facing the others.

"Have either of you guys ever done this before?" Fitz said breaking the ice.

"Nope, and I can't believe I'm doing it now." John spoke up with a chuckle, earning a shove in the head from the woman sitting next to him. "I'm John and this is my wife Natalie."

"You're Olivia right?" Natalie interrupted. "I think we're in the same class on Thursday's?"

"That's right," Olivia said not really knowing who she was but agreeing that she was in the same class; she did look a little familiar. "This is my husband Fitz. It took a bit of convincing for him too."

"What did she say to get you to come?" Fitziel asked?

"I just knew she'd been dying to do it and so I surprised her with the bundle package for her birthday last weekend." Fitz smiled proudly as the other two women raised their eyebrows in awe of his thoughtfulness.

"Wait, isn't the bundle package, four sessions?"

"Yes, so hopefully we like it or that's eighty-five bucks down the drain." Fitz laughed.

"I think you'll be good." Fitziel spoke up. "We come once a week and we absolutely love it. I was in the same boat as you guys and was really unsure about it but after the first one I realized how connected it made us and it was fun as well. I'm pretty sure you'll be back next week."

Before Olivia or Fitz could respond, Jonie walked in followed by another couple that unrolled their mats in the final space next to Olivia and Fitz.

"So I'm glad to see all of you and I want you to know that I realize that this isn't something that seems normal but once we begin you'll feel so natural. My hope is that this time will bring you closer to one another in such a sensual way and that your bodies will become more aware of the other."

The couples nodded and before they knew it another instructor entered and they all followed directions to standing up facing their partners. They first began with some deep breathing exercises desperately before the men were told to stand behind the women and place their hands on their shoulders.

"Grip their shoulders and take a deep breath in sync. Let's breathe in... And now let's breathe out. Alright ladies I want you to turn around. And I want you to stretch your arms out and place your hands on his sides. Keep your hands there and take a step back with your right leg and bring your head forward to rest on his stomach. Remember to continue to breathe."

Olivia did as instructed and rested her head against Fitz's hard stomach facing down and laughed at seeing his bare feet. His hands were still at her shoulders and she felt him loosen his grip on her as she stepped back.

"You see something you like down there" Fitz looked down and whispered, joking at the fact that her head was basically directly over his penis.

"No, your feet are kinda ugly, babe."

"Alright guys," Jonie continued, after hearing the chatter between couples begin. "Now I want you to bring your other leg back ladies and end on your toes. Guys, it's going to be your strong frame that holds her steady. Allow your body to be moved by hers but don't falter and focus on your breathing. In and Out."

Olivia followed her words and allowed her body to rest solely against Fitz's and inhaled deeply before exhaling. Her hands were still on his hips and she felt as though she weighed nothing.

Knowing exactly who her audience was, Jonie began speaking to the couples on a personal level, "Ladies, I want you to think about your husband is physically keeping you up. Think of his strength and remember a time that he physically took care of your needs. Lift your head up and rest your chin on his chest. Breathe in and now breathe out. Now men, I want you to look down and ladies tell them how you feel at this very moment. And keep in mind that all of this is for a natural response, so do what feels natural in every way. I only draw the line at having sex. None of that in here please."

Olivia laughed along with everyone else and waited for Fitz's eyes to meet hers. She almost cried instantly. "I feel one-hundred percent in love with you."

Olivia felt blessed on a daily basis, but it was moments like this when Olivia had to pause. She'd stare into Fitz's eyes and see flashes of their past that brought tears to her eyes. She'd gone back to the moment Fitz stood next to a cab with his hand held out, asking if she was ready. She had been ready for him to change her life and he hadn't failed her one bit. Olivia simply stared at him and was so proud to be called his wife. He was brilliant, kind, funny, generous, uplifting, and so handsome.

He leaned down and kissed her a second later. When his wife stared at him the way that she was doing right now, there was no other response. There was no tongue, just a handful of soft, wet kisses before Jonie instructed them to both stand up straight and switch positions. Olivia laughed and looked at Fitz who was already wearing a concerned expression.

"I'm gonna have back problems after this."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

The couple whispered to one another as Jonie repeated the steps they were supposed to take to complete the position.

"I'm gonna have to place my head on your stomach which means I'm gonna have to bend over like three feet."

"Oh shut it, before I tickle you and make you fall."

Fitz took a few steps back and once Olivia placed her hands on his shoulders, Fitz gripped her hips and put his head on her stomach with one leg stretched behind him. Olivia smiled at the feeling of Fitz kissing her tank top covered- stomach before placing his head there. After taking breaths as instructed, Olivia felt his grip tighten on her waist before he finally moved his second foot behind him. Olivia's body trembled at his full weight against her, but stood still to steady herself.

"Take a deep breath ladies and men look at her with your chin rested against her stomach. Men, tell your lady how you're feeling right now."

Olivia raised her eyebrows at Fitz wondering what would come out of his mouth. She stared intently at him and watched as his cheek suddenly moved, his tongue poking the inside of it. There was no real way she could hold in her laughter and her stomach and shoulders shook suddenly. She wanted to slap him as he continued to do it, but instead lost her balance and the two of them crumbled to the floor together as soon as her knees buckled under his weight.

"Alright Grants, I don't think I wanna know what just happened. Alright, everyone stand up straight and we are going to go into our next pose. Alright guys, face first on the mat. I want you to get in plank position. Look at your thumb and index finger and make sure they're positioned beneath you. Pull your stomach in and lift you knee caps."

Fitz got into the plank position and held a strong pose as Jonie and the other instructor, Kyle moved between the couples to assist on the next step.

"Ladies you are going to begin by placing your hands on each of his ankles and holding your weight there, I want you to lift one leg onto each shoulder. We are right here to help, so take your time and we can spot you if you need to. Men, you remain steady down there."

Olivia moved to hold onto Fitz ankles and went to lift a leg onto his back but stopped herself and stood up straight again.

"Take your time, babe." Fitz encouraged, holding his pose.

She wiped her hands against her pants and leaned over to grip his ankles again and slowly lifted her knees onto the small of his back before she straightened her legs out.

"Do you all feel steady and safe?" Kyle asked. He and Jonie were next to each couple, ready to assist in anyway and once they all answered with a 'yes', they moved away and continued on. "Alright, now simutanelously do a push up."

"A what?" Natalie blurted out chuckling.

"A push up. Guys, you can do them first if you want, but ladies you are going to do them as well."

Olivia and Fitz began their push-ups.

"You realize if I farted, that it would do straight to your face." Fitz heard John mutter.

"Don't you even think about it." Olivia laughed, giving Fitz's ankle a squeeze. "I'll kill you."

"Alright ladies climb off, and now let's switch positions."

"What do you mean?"

"Liv, you're gonna be the one on bottom now."

Fitz stood up and stretched before bending over to touch his toes. "Babe, you like being on bottom, so this is perfect." He winked at her, earning a hard smack on his ass from her.

Olivia and the other woman took their places on the bottom and there were nervous laughs heard throughout the room as the men gripped their ankles and climbed on their backs.

"Shit.. Fitz you're killing me." Olivia felt her arms shake but forced herself to stay calm and fight through the pain.

"You're doing great ladies. Now I want you to do a push-up."

"There's no way in hell that's happening. He's too big." Olivia said.

"Hey now, what goes on in the bedroom, stays in the bedroom, Livvie."

She wanted to elbow him so bad but knew that wasn't possible, so she rolled her eyes. It was seconds later that she tried to do a push up and fell flat with Fitz on top of her.

"Owwwww!" Olivia laughed in pain loudly before Fitz was off of her and lifting her up and into his arms.

The next move they did have everyone in stitches once again as the women took their turn in holding the guys weight. Fitz had easily laid on his back and flipped Olivia over and back as she fell against his legs. It was another story as Olivia laid flat down and Fitz nearly fell over trying to lean back onto her feet. She wasn't able to successfully flip him over, so they adjusted their lift to Fitz simply resting back on her legs and her lifting him in the air as high as she could.

"Alright now for most of you being first timers we are done with our big moves and we are going to slow it down now and practice breathing in sync with your partner. We are going to do the supported back-bend."

They all sat down facing their partner and placed their hands on the others thighs before deeply breathing as Jonie instituted. Following the next steps, Olivia brought her legs over Fitz's cross-crossed legs as though she was straddling his waist, but kept her bottom on the mat. Olivia wrapped her around around Fitz's waist as he moved his hands behind his back.

"Now men, I want you to slowly bend yourself back and ladies you are supporting their weight so allow them to move but not fall to the floor. Let their weight bring you forward as well, and hold the position... Now slowly come back up and when you reach your partner kiss them."

Olivia felt Fitz's body become heavy in her embrace but held him up while they each inhaled and exhaled deeply. He slowly rose back up and when their eyes connected, he leaned down and kissed her softly. He broke the kiss and went back again. He felt Olivia follow him forward before he followed her breathing instructions and came back to a sitting position. They changed positions and Fitz positioned his legs over Olivia's crossed ones before he wrapped her in his arms and allowed her to lie back until she nearly was on the floor. She was clearly very flexible and once he brought her back up, she was puckered up willingly. After a handful of seconds, Fitz allowed her weight to fall back and moved so that his head was resting just below her breast line. Forgetting about his surroundings, Fitz move his head so that he kissed Olivia's rib cage and just below her breasts before he softly trailed kisses to the space between her breasts.

"I somehow feel I shouldn't be in the room anymore" Jonie said glancing over at the couples in the room. She earned a small chuckle from most of them who had been either making out or participating in an intimate moment.

When Fitz pulled Olivia up, her eyes were glossy and she immediately attacked his lips in soft, wispy kisses. She wondered if he could feel the heat pooling between her thighs and prayed he couldn't smell her arousal. He would have no problem with pulling them both out of the room and taking her home to have his way with her.

When they began their final position of the day, their bodies were completely stretched and prepared to do a child's pose on top of each other. Olivia was nervous about Fitz getting on top of her and crushing her, but she was surprisingly able to hold him up without trouble. However, when it was Olivia's turn, Fitz nearly giggled like a kid at the feeling of her feet constantly rubbing up against his ass.

When the class was over, the couples admitted to how much fun they each had and Olivia told Fitz how much she enjoyed her birthday gift from him. He admitted to enjoying himself as well and said he wouldn't be against trying some of the positions at home, which earned him a perfect elbow to the stomach.

"Thank you for my birthday gift, Babe. I really had fun."

"You are very welcome. I'm pretty sure you know by now that nearly anything you ask for, I'm gonna do everything I can to give it to you."

"I do happen to know that, and it's only half the reason I love you." She leaned over and kissed his lips before pulling back and settling into her seat. "Now take me home to my babies"

* * *

Weeks passed by and before they knew it, Madison was three weeks into her Ballet class and had a performance in just a few weeks. Their Saturday's usually were packed, so Fitz and Olivia tried their best to keep Friday's very low key once the family was home from school or work. Olivia rolled out of bed the next morning and could hear the shower on in the bathroom. The door to the bathroom was slightly cracked and Olivia smiled at her husband's thoughtfulness. Since having kids, when Fitz was in bed with her, she could sleep through almost anything except the kid's voices. She knew anything would wake him up and if need be, then he would wake her but she always got a great night of sleep as long as he was there. Needless to say, Fitz was her alarm clock and he knew the emptiness of the bed combined with the noise from the shower was bound to wake her up. She moved out of bed and went to pull some clothes out for the day. Olivia stripped her pajamas off and folded them on the foot of the bed before putting a fitted grey shirt on and walking into the bathroom. She smiled contently at her husband's silhouette and went to empty her bladder before she washed her hands and face. Once her teeth were brushed, she ran a brush through her hair and pulled it into a high bun and went to finish getting dressed in her black leggings.

"Chop chop" she yelled, poking her head back into the bathroom and flicking the lights.

"Fuck! Olivia, you know I hate when you do that." Fitz said once he caught his breath. He turned the water off and heard her snickering as she walked out of the room.

Olivia moved through the hallway and went to throw some oatmeal in the microwave for Madison's breakfast, then moved to turn on the stove for her morning tea. She grabbed the bowl from the microwave and added some raisins and butter before mixing it and sitting it on the table to cool off. She walked down the hall and into Madison's room to see her sprawled out on the bed with Scooter in his respective place on the left side of the bed. Olivia wondered if the crumpled spot on the other side of Madison was occupied by the dog only minutes ago and he was smart enough to climb off because he knew better. Olivia sat on the bed next to Madison and begin rubbing the little girl's back and coaxing her awake.

"Toots, it's time to wake up for school."

Madison squirmed away from her touch and moved towards the end of the bed. She felt Olivia's fingers in her hair and smiled at one of the favorite feelings in the world. Madison sat up and rubbed at her eyes until they were less blurry and crawled over into Olivia's lap.

"Hi Mommy." A yawn escaped her lips as she rested her head on Olivia's chest.

"Hi baby girl. Did you sleep well? You ready to get dressed for school?"

Olivia felt her nod against her chest and lifted her from her lap and sat her down before gently pushing her in the direction of the bathroom across the hall. "Go potty and wash your hands please."

When Madison came back a few minutes later, she looked more awake and grimaced at the clothes she saw laid out on her bed.

"Mommy, I don't wanna wear that to school."

There it was. The start of their constant morning battle was about to begin and Olivia prayed for the weather to change so that she wouldn't have this battle daily. Since starting school, her little easy going girl had become extremely adamant about wearing dresses every day. If they so much as suggested a dress, they prepared themselves to battle with the little girl and knew it would end with them being overtly stern and her in tears. And they hated that. Olivia had taken to buying more pairs of leggings for the child than she'd ever imagined just so she could wear a dress every day.

"Mads, you're wearing pants today. It got too cold last night and it's still cold, so look at me when I tell you this, today you are not wearing a dress."

Her lip began to tremble and it made Olivia think back to when Fitz said she inherited that damn lip quiver from her. Olivia was immune to it, but she knew if it was her husband standing here laying down the law and the lip quiver started, he'd more than likely back down and compromise with the little girl.

"I know it doesn't make you happy, but it's not gonna change my mind so please stop. Let's get you dressed so you can have some breakfast. Tonight you have to go to your ballet class, okay?"

She simply nodded her head and Olivia figured she would get over not being able to wear a dress eventually.

"Do you want to wear your boots today since it's cold out?"

"Can I wear my cowboy boots?"

"Yes you can." Olivia winked at her and that earned a smile from the little girl. She didn't get to always wear them because they were fairly new and Olivia bought them for a specific trip they were taking but Madison loved to prance around the house in them.

Olivia watched her get dressed in a pair of jeans, an undershirt and a sweater before she ran ahead of her to go eat her oatmeal. While Madison ate her food, Olivia took it upon herself to throw some things in a bag for Fitz to take for lunch. Her packing his lunch for him really just depended on the leftovers they had and if it would be enough to feed her husband. He had such a healthy appetite just like their son. The second she thought of the little boy, his boisterous voice sounded over the monitor that sat in the kitchen. Olivia zipped the bag up and was able to make her way to grab him, when she heard Fitz's voice.

"_Morning Big Guy. Did you sleep good? Did you? Whoa, what happened here? How come you're so wet buddy?"_

Olivia furred her brow, too wondering why he would be so wet. They used a great brand of diaper that held pretty well and always put him in a larger bedtime diaper when he slept at night. Unless Fitz, who had put him down last night, forgot.

"_Oh shit… I think Daddy forgot your bedtime diaper buddy. Don't tell mommy, okay? Maybe we should say you spit-up and I'll just throw this in the laundry myself. But then that would be lying to mommy and we can't do that. Don't ever lie to your mommy or your woman. Trust me, they will always be able to tell and there will be hell to pay."_

Olivia shook her head at their conversation in which Elijah responded with babbling of his own. She could hear him grab extra wipes from the warmer and figured he was wiping him down before he changed him out of his probably soiled nightclothes.

"_Alright buddy, I'll give you a head start. Go find mommy."_

Olivia knew he had sat him in the hallway, and she heard him take the fitted sheet off the crib mattress before stepping into the hallway.

"You gotta keep up buddy." Fitz said, stepping over the baby and continuing to the laundry room. Olivia could hear him clearly now and she knew their son was slowly trekking his chunky legs down the hall. Fitz started the wash but looked up when he heard the wails coming from the hallway. He leaned around the door and looked to see him now sitting in the middle of the hallway on his knees screaming his head off. Fitz shook his head and chuckled at the face he was making and stuffed the sheet and clothes inside before jogging down the hall to scoop him up.

"Did daddy leave you in the hallway after stripping you from your pee-pee clothes? Huh? Is that because he forgot your sleep diaper?" Olivia cooed the string of words to Elijah as she walked towards them and kept her eyes on the baby as she spoke.

Fitz looked at her confused before a light bulb went off in his head and he rolled his eyes. "That damn monitor."

"Language!" The back of Olivia's hand came in contact with his chest and he blocked her hand when he saw her take a swing at his head next. "Go talk to your daughter. You already taught this one three bad words this morning."

He let out a soft growl and leaned down and kissed her lips before walking over to kiss Madison good morning. The rest of the morning went smoothly and before they knew it, kisses were being handed out and Olivia and Elijah was taking Madison to school as Fitz drove off to work.

* * *

When Olivia spoke about getting a manicure that evening, Fitz suggested she wait till he got home and let him take over the kids to give her some alone time. He knew that she would pick up dinner for the two of them once she was done, so Fitz completely allowed Madison to decide what she wanted for dinner that night. He laughed at her as she practically dipped her entire hand in barbeque sauce instead of just her chicken nuggets, and encouraged her to start eating her green beans and macaroni. Elijah sat in her high chair in front of Fitz smiling. A chicken broth and vegetable puree his mom had made is what he warmed him up for dinner and his big guy loved it. Fitz was so glad he had an easy eater; the boy would probably eat anything that was put in front of him. Once they were both done, he unsnapped Elijah and carried him to the master bathroom while Madison ran behind them. Sitting the baby on his lap, Fitz played around with the temperature of the water as Madison happily took her clothes off and used the bathroom while the Jacuzzi tub began to fill with water.

Fitz reminded Madison to wipe herself good and when she was done, she slid of the seat and took off running out of the bathroom.

"Hey! What are you doing? Madison Olivia, get back here!"

He heard her feet against the hardwood floor and a second later she appeared with two Barbies and a yellow duck in her hand.

"I need to get some more toys for us, a Daddy." She said darting back out of the bathroom.

When the tub was almost halfway full, Fitz reached under his side of the sink and grabbed a hold of the bumbo and sat it in the water. He stripped the baby free of clothing as his chunky legs and arms flailed, and sat him in the turquoise seat. Well, he tried to. After a few attempts, he realized the chunky thighs of his ten month old son would definitely not fit in the bumbo.

"I'm coming daddy!" Fitz smiled at her thoughtfulness and watched as she ran back into the bathroom seconds later with more toys clearly for her brother and dropped them loudly into the tub.

"His legs are too big, daddy."

Madison giggled and used Fitz's shoulder for balance as she climbed into the tub and plopped down. She splashed Fitz in the process and he muttered a sarcastic 'thanks' in reply.

"Daddy, you should use the famper like Mommy does for Lijah!"

"The what?" He asked with a confused look on his face. He was still bent over the side of the garden tub with each hand under Elijah's arms to assure he didn't slip under the water.

"She put the famper in the tub and sits Lijah inside so he won't fall and get hurt."

"Well what is a famper? I don't know what that is. Where does Mommy keep it?"

Madison looked up at Fitz like he had two heads and continued dunking her mermaid Barbie into the water as she spoke.

"She puts it where the laundry room is, silly! That's where all the fampers are!"

_Hamper_

"Madison, don't move. I'll be right back."

Fitz snapped his fingers quickly and her head immediately popped up. He repeated the words and she responded with a 'yes sir', giving him the confirmation he needed. Fitz scooped up Elijah and held the naked, wet baby in his arms before jogging out of the room and towards the laundry room.

Elijah wasn't happy. Not only was he disturbed from playing in the tub, which was his favorite thing next to eating, his butt and legs were now cold as Fitz ran through the hallway with him.

"I'm sorry buddy! I know, I know, it's cold. Daddy's gonna get you back in, I just need to get the hamper for you buddy."

Making it back to the bathroom in record time, he sat the hamper inside and placed Elijah inside. The second he sat the chunky baby inside, the plastic sank to the bottom and Elijah was immediately excited. Elijah kicked his feet and hands, splashing water everywhere, and looked up when Madison climbed inside with him. Elijah screamed his little head off, his limbs going stiff as his wet face lit up at the site of his sister in front of him.

"Mommy never uses the big famper!"

"Ohhh, you like this one, don't you? It's big so you can get in it with him."

She nodded her head and laughed loudly as Elijah splashed water on her face and brought a toy into his mouth.

"You like your bath don't you FJ? Is it warm enough baby girl?"

"Mmhmmm! Can we have some bubbles?"

"How about I give you some bath paint instead" he reached down for the bath paint he had brought in and got out a few colors for her.

"Can Lijah have one" she said lifting her small foot up and painting it purple before giggling loudly.

"Naa, he'd just eat it. Stand up baby so I can wash you, then you can play more."

After washing Madison up once, and allowing her to wash herself once, Fitz lifted Elijah up, having his underarms and chest lean against his left arm while he stood, and washed him with his free hand. He constantly had to steady him with his right hand when he'd start stomping his feet in the water and slipping from his hold.

"You're a crazy baby you know that" he poured water over his head, laughing when he blinked his eyes rapidly, licking the water droplets, and flailing his arms.

"Daddy, what's that?"

"What's what?" he sat Elijah back on his butt.

"That" she said pointing directly to Elijah's little penis.

Fitz wore the same confused expression his daughter, but had nothing to say that could distract the little girl.

"I don't know." Fitz muttered.

"Why doesn't Lijah have privates like I do? Cause he's a brother?"

Was this conversation really happening? Where the hell was Olivia? Her quick manicure was suddenly taking forever.

"Mads, brother's have privates too."

"No he doesn't, he just has that squishy thing. What is that?"

"That's how a boy's privates look."

"Oh."

She didn't say anything right away and Fitz hoped she was done. But he knew better. His daughter was a mauler. She'd maul over the thoughts in her head before she asked further questions, so Fitz didn't get his hopes up. Instead, he just prayed his wife would return quickly.

"Does his privates look like mine when he gets bigger?"

"Nope" Fitz said inhaling deeply and slowly releasing the breath.

"Why not?"

"Because only boys can have a penis."

"A what?"

_Shit! I did NOT just say that out loud! Get your shit tighter, Fitz! Olivia is going to kill you._

"Boys have penis that they go pee-pee with."

"So it's a penis and a pee-pee?"

"Yea, well it's a pee-pee too, but the real grown up name is a penis. You ready to get out?" He wanted this whole conversation over with as soon as possible.

"Okay" Madison lifted her arms and Fitz lifted her from the tub and began drying her off while keeping an eye on the splashing baby.

"Alright, your clothes are on your bed, go get dressed" he wrapped the towel around Madison's body snuggly before sending her off.

After lifting the top of the drain to let the water out, Fitz grabbed Elijah and sat him on his lap. He put the hooded duck towel on his wet head and wrapped him up before carrying him over to his and Olivia's bed and started drying him off. He was close to securing his diaper on before applying some lotion when Madison walked into the room dressed in her pajamas.

"Daddy, when I was a baby did I have a penis too?"

Fitz was flabbergasted. He honestly thought this conversation was over and forgotten about. But then he pictured his daughter getting dressed while mulling over the facts in her head and wanting conclusions. She was so her mothers' child.

"Alright Madison, listen up. Elijah is a boy, so he has a penis. You are a girl, so you don't have one. Only boy's can have a penis"

"Men too, like you?"

_Shit!_

"Yes, men too. Boys and men have a penis"

"So what do girls have?"

"Well," he started. He looked down at Elijah wondering at what age he'd get curious about the difference between boys and girls and prayed that he'd take after him instead of his super smart wife like his daughter had. Maybe Elijah wouldn't ask at all. Fitz never asked his parents, he just figured it out on his own.

"Girls have a vagina"

He couldn't stop the word from coming out, and wondered if that was the word that Olivia would have used. Vagina? There couldn't have been a more kid-friendly word to tell him, so that had to do.

"A vagina… so Mommy's a girl, and Auntie Abby too. Do they have a vagina? And my teachers too! They have a vagina, right daddy"

It was of course that moment that Olivia walked into their bedroom to see her husband a bright shade of red, her son kicking his feet while half dressed, and Madison bouncing on her toes, eyes gleaming as if she'd just figured out a big secret.

_How did the hell did I not hear her come in?_

"Hey guys" she greeted them, bending down to scoop Madison up in her arms.

"Hi mommy, guess what?"

"What baby?" she said kissing her nose.

"I have a vagina!"

"A what?" clearly she'd heard him wrong.

"A vagina, like you do cause you're a girl! And Auntie Abby too. But Lijah and daddy have a penis cause they're boys…. Lennox too, right daddy, since he's a boy too?" Madison spoke, lighting up at her last question.

"Yep" he didn't dare look at Olivia. Instead he focused on dressing the baby in front of him before lifting him up and walking out of the room.

Olivia watched as Fitz purposely didn't make eye contact with her and left the room. "Madison, who taught you penis and vagina"

"Daddy did. In the bath tub." Her fingers went to the back of Olivia's head and played with her curls as she continued to explain her innocent discovery. "I didn't see Elijah's privates and daddy said he didn't have one like me since he wasn't a girl, and told me it was not just a pee-pee, but a penis. He said that girls have a vagina, and boys have a penis."

"Oh, okay."

"And Daddy has a penis too since he's a boy. But he's not a little baby boy like Lijah, he's a big boy that's a man." She brought her smell index finger to her lip as the wheels turned before she looked at Olivia with squinted eyes.

Olivia should have been prepared for something like this, but wasn't at all and now understood her husband's appearance when she walked into their bedroom moments ago. Madison was being dramatic, but she was clearly in thought and Olivia knew she wouldn't like whatever was going to come out of her mouth next. She decided to not say anything and walked into the living room where she saw Fitz standing at the sink with Elijah in his arms.

"Ummm, Fitz can you.."

She saw his head shaking before he even spoke and she moved closer to see him running water over a bag of breast milk that sat in a measuring cup.

"Babe, what are you doing? Can you…"

He was shaking his head, still. "Nope, I think I had my fair share of connect the dots with our daughter and I'm signing off for the night. You take twenty questions and I'll take the one that can only say your name." He kissed Madison's forehead before grabbing the measuring cup, an empty bottle and walking back to the nursery.

When they heard the door to the nursery shut, Olivia held her breath and hoped that Madison wouldn't ask her any questions and that she would be able to bribe her child with dessert, or a movie or something that didn't relate to human anatomy.

"Mommy, can I have some ice cream?"

_Thank God! There is never a dull moment when it comes to parenting and Olivia wouldn't change a thing about it. _


	26. Chapter 25

_There's nothing sweeter than my baby  
I'd never want once from the cherry tree  
'Cause my baby's sweet as can be  
She give me toothaches just from kissin' me_

_When, my, time comes around  
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth  
No grave can hold my body down  
I'll crawl home to her_

_-Work Song, Hozier_

**Hi all. I'm really glad to see you guys enjoyed the last chapter and I'm very thrilled to see that you're willing to stick around a little bit longer! I appreciate that more than you know. This chapter is definitely shorter than normal, but I hope you enjoy the simplicity of it. I really wanted to add certain things in before the next segment of chapter. Those will offer something different I think. I was very surprised I was able to get this up with my new busy work schedule, but I'm glad I was able to. Anyway, here it is.**

* * *

"Daddy, you gotta fix my hair like everyone else's!"

"Mads, let's just wait for a few more minutes, she'll be here soon and can fix your hair, okay?"

"Daddy! It's gonna be too late. It's almost time to start my dance."

Madison's pout wasn't one she pulled out to coerce him into doing something he didn't want to do, it's an authentic pout accompanied by tears pooling in her eyes. Fitz looked around at the mother-filled dressing room and sighed knowing that he was the oddball out. He loved being the one that took Madison to her practices on Thursdays, while Olivia took over Saturday morning rehearsals while Fitz stayed home with Elijah. But performance days were Olivia's thing completely. She would be the one in back with Madison getting her dressed, putting her make up on and fixing her hair. Today that was different. Olivia was stuck in a thirty car pile-up coming from the downtown area, and was definitely going to be late. Olivia assured him that she was completely fine, but waiting for the police, ambulance, fire truck and tow trucks to clear out was taking forever. So Fitz had no problem letting his mom head back to assist Madison in getting ready, but the little girl insisted that her daddy be the one to come help her. Fitz had been worried at first, but the abundance of moms prepping their little ones assured him that he could relax and just take care of getting Madison ready without worry. He was a familiar face and even with little girls in and out of tutus and bodysuits, they knew they had nothing to worry about.

"How about we let Jordan's mom do your hair?"

Fitz suggested and glanced over at the woman sitting with her daughter in between her legs. It reminded him of the way that Olivia did Madison's hair and he watched as she smoothed the brush over the little girl's edges and was sold. It wasn't that he didn't know the other woman, but he knew his daughter's hair was most like Jordan's, and yes it was because she was black. Her hair was natural, that much he knew and it was gorgeous. A little more what Olivia had called coarse than Madison's but beautiful and thick just like it.

"I don't want her to."

"But I bet she can do it pretty just like Jordan's."

Madison didn't respond but sent Fitz a look that spoke volumes. The little girl still only allowed her parents, grandmother, and Auntie touch her hair and today would be no different. Fitz sighed and moved her to sit on a chair in front of her before he began brushing her thick hair towards the top of her head. Everyone was supposed to have a bun, and he wished he could do this in privacy so he wouldn't feel so judged by the mothers. He knew that there were tangles he was hitting by the way that Madison flinched on occasion, but she wouldn't dare protest out loud with everyone around.

Fitz looked up when a woman he had only met once stood in front of Madison with sympathetic eyes and spoke in a soft voice.

"Does your Daddy need a little help? I can do your bun for you sweetie if you want?"

Madison shook her head without speaking and Fitz sent the woman a grateful smile although he was anything but grateful. He reached for the hair tie and finally secured it tightly around her hair. He grabbed Madison by the shoulders and turned her around to face him. The tears were nearly spilling out of her eyes but she was being brave and not allowing them to fall.

"I'm sorry baby girl. I didn't mean for it to hurt, okay?"

"I know. It's okay daddy. Can you finish it?"

Fitz nodded and kissed her head before turning to look at a few other mothers as they twisted the hair around the base to get it into a bun. It looked simple enough but he knew it wouldn't be that easy.

"Does mommy use these in your hair, Mads?"

She looked up at his handful of bobby pins and nodded. Fitz began to twist the hair around the ponytail and place bobby pins in her hair to secure it in place. He took his time, brushing the hair down before sticking more pins in. When he was done, he went back over and secured flyaways with more bobby pins before grabbing the spray Olivia had packed in the bag and told Madison to close her eyes. He gave her hair a quick spray before he lifted her up and took her to stand in front of one of the large mirrors in the room. Once she approved of his bun, Fitz brought her back to their station and opened up the make up bag before he allowed her to pick out the color the teacher had told the girls to wear. Fitz didn't have a problem putting the purple eye shadow on Madison, or the blush and lip gloss, but the mascara was something he wanted no part of. He just knew he'd ruin Madison's eyes from his hands shaking and in all honesty, he didn't want his daughter wearing it at all.

"Daddy, will Mommy get here to watch me?"

The little girls were being lined up backstage and parents were giving last words of encouragement before they went to their seats. Madison's group was the second to go on, and Fitz only prayed Olivia would make it within the next fifteen minutes before they hit the stage.

"I'm sure she will baby. There were so many cars around her from the accident but I'm sure that she's able to drive now and she's coming as fast as she can."

"Are the people okay?"

"I don't know sweetie."

"I hope they're ok. We should pray that mommy doesn't get into a accident too."

Fitz nodded his head and smiled at her words. She had such a great heart and concern for others. He leaned forward and whispered a prayer into her ear, wanting to drown out the loud voices around them. When he was done, he kissed her face and told her to have fun and do her best.

"I love you Best Girl. I'm gonna go sit with Grandpa, Grammie and FJ okay?"

"Did Auntie get here yet?"

"I don't know, I've been back here with you, silly. But we saved her and Mommy a seat so they'll be sitting right up front with us okay? I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy."

When Fitz did get back out to the front, he was happy to see Abby sitting up front next to his mother and his father walking around with Elijah high against his chest.

"I'm glad you're here. She was just asking if you had made it."

Abby smiled and held up her phone towards Fitz showing him a picture of him and Madison backstage.

"I'm already on my game tonight Fitz. Rendezvous backstage to sneak pictures and all."

"That's kinda creepy." He sighed and pulled out his phone to check for news on Olivia when Abby stopped him.

"I just spoke to her. She had to park and is walking over now. I was freaking out that she wasn't going to make it."

"You and me both. I'm going to go meet her in the lobby."

Fitz got up and began walking down the aisle as soon as the lights flashed and a two minute warning was announced over the intercom. His walk turned into a jog and once he made it to the lobby he peaked his head out of the door and spotted his wife walking up the sidewalk and towards the door.

Her head lifted and her eyes caught the blue orbs belonging to her husband's and she smiled. Fitz grinned back at her and took a step back held the door open as she walked inside and into his arms. Their hug was quick because Fitz grabbed her hand and began walking her towards the auditorium swiftly.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't get around all the traffic! Did Mom get her ready?"

"It's fine, we just have to get in there cause it's starting. I got her ready."

Olivia dug her heels into the ground and stopped Fitz from opening the double doors the auditorium.

"What do you mean you got her ready? Why didn't mom? Did any of the other moms offer? I know Tina was back there with Jordan..."

"Liv, you know her, if it wasn't you then it was me. She was pretty adamant about only me coming with her and helping her."

Olivia sighed knowing he was right. Guilt immediately set in and her eyes were cast downward.

"Hey, she's fine. And you're here now so that's all that matters. Let's go. I'm pretty sure FJ is gonna be more than excited to see you."

Olivia leaned up on her toes and kissed the corner of Fitz mouth before walking in before him. They made their way to the front of the room quietly, and sat down as the lights were dimmed and the director came on stage.

Liv smiled at her in laws and allowed Fitz to take the seat next to her mother while she sat opposite him, next to Abby.

"Glad you made it." Abby whispered to her friend.

"I would've never forgiven myself if I hadn't. Oh wait, " Olivia stopped and turned to Fitz who was being passed Elijah. "Who did her hair?"

"You think she let anyone else touch her hair?" He said sarcastically.

"Oh god."

Elijah spotted his mother and lunged at Olivia with open arms. His pacifier from hanging from his mouth when his mouth opened wide. Drool immediately attacked her face as he gave warranted kisses. He was always so affectionate with family but especially with Olivia and Fitz. As usual, Elijah was lightly reprimanded for biting his mother's cheeks as his kiss became aggressive.

"Thank you baby." Olivia whispered kissing his lips lightly. She turned him around in her lap and stuffed the pacifier in his mouth so his babbling wouldn't interrupt the show. Fitz handed Elijah the small toy he had been playing with and leaned over to kiss Olivia's head.

The first group of mini dancers came out on stage and danced to a harmonious song. They were the group of three and four year olds and the audience smiled and cooed at how adorable they looked stumbling over their own two feet. There was one little girl that continued to face away from the audience and simply shake her butt the entire dance. Olivia leaned over to Abby and prayed that Madison wouldn't do something similar. Four minutes later, the mini's instructor came out and curtsied with the girls before they did it alone and followed her off the stage. The audience clapped loudly, making Elijah squeal as Olivia moved his hands together in light taps.

_"Up next, we have Ms. Taylor's Petite Ballerinas dancing to Fly To Your Heart"_

Cheers were heard in the audience but it was obvious the two Grant men cheered the loudest as they saw the little girls hit the stage. Jerry sat on the aisle seat holding his video camera up and began recording as soon as the little ones walked out. When Madison took her place on the left side, she stared at the front row and moved her eyes over each person until she locked eyes with Olivia. "Mommy!" She blushed realizing that everyone heard her excited voice and her little nose scrunched up as well. She smile largely and brought her hand from behind her to send a little wave to her mommy. Olivia felt tears well up in her eyes and she felt immensely proud to be Madison's mother. The strength of love she just felt from her daughter was more than she could digest at the moment and she leaned her head on Fitz's shoulder. The few tears that escaped her eyes were soaked up by his shirt and Olivia felt silly for getting so emotional.

"Damn Liv, what are you pregnant or something? It's just a dance."

Olivia sent her elbow into Abby's side making the redhead move out of her personal space, and focus on the stage. Seconds later the music started and Olivia nodded her head along with the gentle song that she'd known by heart now. Madison had watched the Tinker Bell movie several times and when it was announced that they were using that song, she insisted on listening to it and practicing non stop. They straightened their arms out and took two large steps before jumping and landing in relevé. They continued dancing and Olivia winced inwardly at the next move coming that all the girls had been having trouble with. Chainé turns were introduced to the girls early to prepare them for their next level classes. They each stumbled but continued dancing and completed the perfect chassé. The little girls lined up and soared in opposite directions as their number hit and the song's final chorus came to a slow end and they bowed into the shape of a heart before falling into a split.

Olivia held Elijah against her chest as she and her family stood up and clapped loudly, her grandparents, father and Abby yelling Madison's name. Others stood and cheered for their little ones but the Grant family was in a league of their own. Madison twisted back and forth with a large smile on her face as she eyes her family. She became fidgety and was pushed from behind, bringing her attention to the line that was moving off the stage.

It was Olivia who went backstage once the performances were done and the final curtain call on all the dancers were called. She and the other moms went to their Petite side and signed them out before they came out with their bags to the authorized guardian.

"Mommy!"

Madison's voice and smile lit up Olivia's heart and she scooped the little girl up in her arms before smothering her in kisses. She hugged her tightly to her chest and told her how proud of her she was before standing her own her own two feet.

"Toots you did so great!"

"We messed up on our turns though."

"It's okay. Ms. Taylor put that turn in there for you to keep practicing it and so that next year you can do it. But guess what? I'm so proud of you for completing your last recital."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome sweetie. You've got a few people waiting for you so let's go."

Olivia grabbed Madison's bag and hoisted it over her shoulder before holding her hand and walking to the lobby.

"Hey Short Stuff, you did so great up there!" Abby was the first to greet her and hugged her tightly to her chest before moving over for Catherine and Jerry to do the same.

"You looked gorgeous Maddie-Cakes!" Jerry exclaimed pinching her cheeks.

Olivia moved over to take Elijah from Fitz's arms and he immediately bent down and held out the bouquet of sunflowers to Madison. Her smile it up and she went sideways into her Daddy's arms and hugged him while she touched the yellow petals.

"They're so pretty daddy! I love them!"

"What do you say to Daddy?" Olivia encouraged.

"Thank you!"

She squeezed his neck tightly before leaning back and kissing him.

"You are so very welcome, Best Girl. I'm so proud of you."

Olivia smiled before glancing at the door and noticing that it was raining outside.

"Babe, can you put her pants on her and her tennis shoes?"

Fitz nodded and unzipped her bag before pulling out her leggings and Nike's. He put them on her and changed out her ballet shoes before looking to make sure Olivia was putting Elijah's jacket on him.

"Are you all still up for going out tonight?"

Abby, Jerry and Catherine all nodded their heads and Fitz reminded them of the location and lifted Madison up before he headed towards the door with Olivia behind him.

"You got him?"

"Yea, I do. I'll follow you to your car and strap him in."

"I wanna go in Mommy's car" Madison spoke up, turning to look at Olivia.

Fitz made eye contact with Olivia, both silently agreeing that it would be easier to switch kids because while Madison had a booster seat in each of their cars, Elijah only had one car seat for both bases in their cars.

Fitz lowered Madison to the ground and Olivia handed over Elijah, who immediately began to cry and reach for Olivia.

"It's alright buddy. Alright Liv, let's go. I'll meet you guys there. Be safe."

"Always am." She winked at him before feeling the overwhelming need to kiss him and captured his lips in hers. There was just something about her husband being who he was that just turned her on in ways she couldn't explain.

It was after seven when The Grant family arrived home and Fitz and Olivia carried a sleeping child inside their home and straight into their respective rooms. Knowing Olivia wanted to clean the make-up from Madison's face, Fitz took care of getting Elijah wiped down and into his pajamas.

After leaving the school the bunch headed to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. The table of seven was loud and happy as Madison and Elijah took it upon themselves to entertain everyone in between bites of food. They enjoyed times when their schedules allowed for them all to be present at an important event and they knew they'd had so many more to look forward to. Once the checks were paid, they all said their goodbyes and Fitz followed Olivia to the frozen yogurt shop for Madison's promised dessert. Opting out, Olivia had taken a seat at their regular table and decided to nurse Elijah while Fitz and Madison got their dessert. It was his bedtime and although he was in a great mood, she knew he'd turn fussy the second no one put a spoon in his mouth. If he saw food, he wanted food. Olivia was content nursing her little boy while her husband and daughter ate happily in front of her, sharing a bite with her ever so often.

Fitz walked quietly into Madison's room and sat on the edge of the bed, opposite of Olivia. She had a blue pack of make-up remover wipes that he'd seen her use every single night, a wet wash cloth and the infamous jar of coconut oil.

"I didn't use too much, did I?" He asked softly.

"No, you barely put any on her." She softly chuckled, glancing up at him and noticing his smirk.

He shrugged, not really caring. "That was the plan."

He watched Madison lay completely still, in a peaceful deep sleep as Olivia ran the wipe across her face a few more times. Next, she brought the wash cloth to her face and wiped over her brow and neck before moving to wipe her hands. Olivia didn't say a word as she held out the used wipe and wash cloth to her husband, but Fitz knew to accept it. Lastly she opened the jar of oil and put a small amount in the palm of her hand before using her fingertips to massage the oil into Madison's dry face.

"I'm pretty sure you take the best care of our kids, Baby."

"I try, I try." She responded jokingly.

She finished moisturizing her face and moved further onto the bed and placed Madison's head onto her lap. She slowly began taking the bobby-pins out of her head and after the seventh one, she glanced up at Fitz. The apologetic, nervous look on his face let Olivia know that was just the start. Olivia reached across the full sized bed and grabbed his hand before laying it flat next to her and began discarding the pins into his palm. It took everything in her not to laugh. She was just finishing up the pins that controlled Madison's flyaways and she had already placed thirteen of the black pins into his hand.

"Babe, really?"

"I wanted it to be perfect for her. Everyone else had a mom there perfecting their hair and I just wanted hers to be as perfect as possible."

Olivia's heart raced at his words and she didn't respond as she took out the last seventeen pins. She slowly took the elastic band from her hair and allowed the thick locks to breathe. Olivia smoothed Madison's hair down before looking up at Fitz. She beckoned with a crooked finger for him to move closer and when he was finally in her personal space, she attached her lips to his in a sensual kiss that went on much longer than they intended with their daughter between them.

"I think I'm ready for my dessert."

* * *

It was Friday afternoon and after the rough morning Olivia had with the kids, she knew she couldn't put off doing the inevitable any longer. The indoor pool, the indoor sandbox and her eleven month old feeding himself lunch meant that Olivia HAD to wash Elijah's hair. She used to think Madison was bad, but her little boy had inherited his father's distinct curl and his spirals were tiny on top of his little fro. Olivia knew his hair would be a huge task once he got older and it became longer, but even now with Elijah not even being one, his hair still got a wash deep wash at least once a week. His hair was always washed when he got a bath, but a real conditioned wash was barely done once a week. The only time Olivia usually did it is if Fitz was there to entertain him as she lay him across the kitchen counter long enough to use the conditioner in his hair, or if she sat in the tub with him and nursed him as she washed and detangled his hair. That's exactly what she was about to do.

It was almost his nap time and she knew this would be the perfect opportunity to get it over with then put him down for a nap afterwards. Deciding to put on a pair of swimming bottoms, Olivia filled their tub up before lowering herself inside the almost hot bath water. Seeing that Elijah hasn't crawled over yet, she called his name a few times and asked him if he wanted milk. The greedy baby lit up at the mention of eating and moved as fast as his arms and legs could carry him. He pulled up on the side on the tub and Olivia began stripping his clothes off before she lifted him inside.

"Mads, did your movie come on?"

"Mmhmm" the little girl called from her parent's bed.

She was worn out from their morning too and Olivia knew that even if she didn't sleep, she would rest and watch a movie quietly. Olivia lifted her knees to her chest to keep Elijah steady with only the support of her legs and once he latched on, she picked up a nearby cup and began wetting his hair. The second he felt the water on his hair, he released her nipple and smiled up at her. She felt him try to turn around but she told him no and coaxed him into re-latching on while she finished setting his hair. She grabbed the shampoo from the side of the tub and began to lather his hair in the honey smelling wash, scratching his scalp softly. She could feel the sand in his hair and wanted to be sure got it all out. Olivia used the cup once again to rinse his hair and ended up lathering his hair in shampoo two more times before his hair and scalp was rid of the sandy feel. She grabbed the conditioner and poured a generous amount in her hand before using her finger tips to massage the lotion-y cream into one side of his scalp. When half of his head was slicked back, she grabbed the tiny comb she had set out and began combing through the tangles as gently as she could, rocking her legs a little when he began to protest.

"I'm almost done baby."

She blindly reached to the back of his hair and combed through the tangles before she rinsed the conditioner from his hair. Olivia broke Elijah's latch and moved him to her other breast to finish eating and began to condition and detangled the other side of his hair.

"Mommy your phone is ringing two times!" Both Olivia and Elijah looked towards the door at Madison's voice that startled then.

"Is it daddy?" Olivia questioned, knowing Madison would've noticed right away and answered it.

"No. It says L-I- L- Y H-A-L-L"

"Just leave it sweetie."

Olivia rinsed the rest of Elijah's hair, assuming that it wasn't important. She was tempted to answer because Lily never really called her but didn't think anything of it.

"Mommy! It's ringing again with the same letters."

"Bring it to me baby." Maybe something was up.

Olivia accepted the phone from Madison, silently praying that she wouldn't drop it in the water. She sat still allowing Elijah to finish eating for a few minutes while she answered and was greeted by a frantic Lily Hall.

"Liv, I'm really sorry to bug you but I don't know who else to call. I need a huge favor."

"Lily it's okay, what's going on?"

"Remember I told you we decided to take a vacation for spring break just me and Jeff? That way we didn't have to worry about someone picking up the kids from school and all that goes into that? Well we are supposed to be on the way to the airport to switch off with my mom. She was flying in and supposed to get here at one and our flight leaves at three but she missed her flight this morning due to some delay and she didn't make it so now the earliest they can do is the first flight out in the morning. I'm stuck Liv. We need this vacation but I have nowhere for him to go. Kenz went to the beach with my sister and they already drove down and..."

"Lily, it's okay! Just bring him over. Pack him some things and we'll keep him for the night." She could tell her friend was near tears and knew she had to help. They had planned on having a relaxing spring break and just stay in town and it wouldn't mess up any type of plan they had. Besides Olivia knew if they were in a sticky situation as such, that the Hall's would do the same for them.

"Are you sure? You'd be saving our lives! My mom will take a cab to my house tomorrow and she already has keys and everything and I'll leave her your number so once she's there you could just drop him to her. This means so much to me, Liv! We need to get to the airport so can we drop him off soon?"

"No problem at all, I just need about fifteen minutes to get FJ done with his bath and I'll be ready for him."

"We can do thirty! Thank you so much Liv! He's already had lunch and we'll give him a snack now and we will see you soon."

"Alright sounds good, I'll see you soon."

"Hey Mads, guess who's coming over?"

When Fitz stepped into the house, he was surprised at how quiet it was. His wife's warning to get his ass home almost seemed unnecessary from the looks of it but he'd never admit that to her. She didn't usually call or text him in a panic but the times that she did always made him feel bad that he couldn't be home to help her right away. Fitz knew they had a visitor for the evening and he was threatened to be on his best behavior with their guest.

Fitz walked into the kitchen to empty his containers out and load them in the dish washer. He moved to the sink to wash his hands and dry them he was done he peaked into Madison's room and after noticing that it was empty, he went into Elijah's room after hearing the soft music coming from that direction. Olivia was rocking the fussing baby on her lap and she sighed loudly when she saw Fitz walk in.

"You're late."

"I know, I'm sorry. Our meeting ran over and we all stayed behind to stock supplies since Jenna's been out this week. How are they? Has he not gone down for you?"

He reached out and grabbed the baby from her lap, missing his face the second he was in his arms.

"You couldn't have called or sent a text? You said six, not eight."

"Really Liv? It's not like I was out having fun with the guys, I was at work in a meeting and finishing up stuff."

"Oh that's right. Your phone doesn't work when you're at the office. Sorry babe, I completely forgot."

Her words were full of sarcasm and Fitz knew he just needed to be sensitive to whatever she was feeling. She had been with the kids all afternoon and from her last text he remembers reading, nap time didn't go so well.

"You're right and I'm sorry. I should've let you know I was going to be late. Did he ever go back down for his nap?"

"Does it look like he took a nap today? He slept for all of ten minutes before they woke him up and he's been awake since. I've got the worst migraine ever and of course our dinner is going to have to be reheated."

"What did you make? You could've eaten with the kids, Liv. You didn't have to wait for me."

"They ate chicken nuggets which I'm tired of eating and I didn't want yogurt which is always what they requested. I just wanted to eat dinner with my husband but that didn't happen. I couldn't have eaten anything anyway with keeping them from playing at the table together and feeding him. I had just washed his hair after swimming and it took every ounce of strength to keep him from getting food all in his hair."

"Told you that kid is trouble" Fitz mumbled under his breath, making Olivia's eyes cut to his.

"It wouldn't have been that difficult if I would've had help. Don't even think about asking for another kid anytime soon. Hell no. I'm going out back and I expect them all to be in bed asleep by the time I come back in."

Olivia walked out leaving Fitz there with a whinny Elijah and a defeated look on his face.

It took Fitz a good twenty minutes before he was able to leave Elijah's room without the baby screaming loudly once he was sat down. He was never a really fussy baby, but with him not having a nap today, he was extremely over tired. Normally Fitz would've suggested that they bring the baby in with them, but he could tell that his wife did not want to co-sleep tonight by any means. And regardless of what Olivia's preferences were, Fitz was not a 'cry it out' dad by any means. He made his way into the master bedroom and rolled his eyes at sight before him.

_What the hell. She's lying next to this kid in my bed as though they're together or something. And he's holding her fucking hand? This aint some drive in movie, kid. Ugh. His damn grandmother better show up tomorrow or he can sleep at home by his damn self._

Fitz took a deep breath and relaxed a little. He knew Olivia would hate to know the thoughts going on in his mind and he would be in trouble with her if he dared voiced them. It wasn't that he didn't like Lennox. He was a great kid, but the way the five year old looked at his daughter and treated her like she was the only person that could save him, drove Fitz crazy. He also knew that Madison loved Lennox and although she was only five and a half years old, Fitz knew that she actually meant those words. He also knew the two of them would be growing up together unless something moved the Hall family away, but he didn't see that happening. Jim had a great job at the Deer Park factory downtown that he had been at for over ten years and that was a position and income that you didn't walk away from.

_This kid will probably always be in my life._

Fitz removed Madison's hand from Len's and lifted her in his arms before carrying her into her room. He laid her down in the bed before tucking the covers around her and kissing her forehead. He glanced to the left of her bed and noticed Elijah's mattress on the floor made up with a sheet and blanket and smiled in victory. He had texted Olivia to set Elijah up in the pack and play for the night and use his mattress for Len to sleep on. He knew she had listened to him when he noticed the pack and play in his son's room, but seeing the small bed and knowing that he didn't have to lay the boy next to his daughter, made Fitz fist pump in the air.

_God, I love my wife._

After Fitz laid the small boy down, he made sure Scooter's bed was in his and Olivia's room before closing the door and hopping in the shower. He didn't stay in long because he wanted to make up for his lateness in any way that he could. By the time Fitz was done getting dressed, Olivia was in the kitchen reheating their dinner and refilling a wine glass. He went to stand behind her and turned her around so he could see her face. She was stressed out and it showed, but there was more. His wife had a lot on her mind and Fitz needed to know what it was.

"Talk to me." Fitz hands went under her arms and he lifted her body onto the counter and moved to stand between her legs.

"I think I'm overwhelmed."

"With the kids? I know today was a lot and so last minute…"

Olivia reached out to wrap her arms around his shoulders before burying her face in his neck.

"It wasn't just today. Don't get me wrong, they drove me crazy today," she stopped speaking and had to laugh at the craziness of the day. "Our eleven month old was wild, cranky, and into everything, while Scooter followed Madison and Len all over the house begging for attention and barking. The two- five year olds were simply mischievous together and if they didn't want to be outside, they wanted to play a game. If they didn't want to play a game, they wanted to color and if they didn't want to color… It was a tiresome day."

"But it wasn't just today?" Fitz asked, wanting her to go back to what else he could tell was bothering her.

"FJ's almost one and I really still don't know what I want to do for next school year. I love being home with him, but I miss working and I need more time with you."

"Baby we make time for us.."

"But I need more of it, away from the kids. I know a lot of it was me, but we still haven't really left the both of them overnight since FJ was born and I think I'm ready to. Hell I need to. We don't get enough time together as it is and then I was thinking of if we have another baby, we'll never see each other and…"

"Livvie stop. Baby we make time for each other, but we will make more for each other. I miss you too and I know it's not easy being at home every single day with FJ."

"I love being home with him though. I can't imagine being at work and not seeing him grow up this first year. I would've hated myself if I would've gone back that soon, so I don't regret it at all. I just can't help but think about the future and if I can do it all."

"Goodness I love you." Fitz leaned in to kiss her forehead and wrapped his arms around her before scooping her up in his arms and walking them to the couch. He didn't want to talk to her without fully holding her and knowing he had her undivided attention. "Livvie, you are such an amazing mother. I am so blessed to know that you've been caring for our son since he's been here and that I've never had to worry about his well-being. When you need a break, I want you to tell me. We have lots of people that would love to have mornings with FJ while you have time to yourself. You deserve that and you need that. You do this twenty-four – seven and I don't take that for granted. If I could trade places with you, I would but I know I wouldn't do it as great as you. You are the best person to raise our kids and I have no doubt in my mind that if we have more kids that everything will work out beautifully. I have no doubt, Livvie."

"When."

"What?"

"You said if we have more kids. It's not 'if' it's 'when'. I want more kids with you, Fitz. You know I do. I just need that reassurance that I can do this. So thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. This is something you need to know, always. It's my job as your husband to let you know that you're incredible and that I'm always going to be there when you need me. And I think you're definitely right about one thing."

"What's that?" She sat up on his lap and brushed her fingers through his hair, loving how silky his hair felt between her fingers.

"We need to get away. Just the two of us with no kids."

"I know I said that but I would rather wait until our anniversary. FJ will be one and I won't feel so guilty about leaving him, plus he'll be on regular milk by then. Plus it'll be a getaway before you guy's birthday and then school starting."

"Are we not doing a summer vacation?" He asked with his eyebrows raised. They usually did but she hadn't mentioned anything.

"The only vacation we're doing is locally. I don't want to travel anywhere with FJ right now. Half the vacation will be spent with him napping or eating and that's not fair to Madison. Besides we can save up and do Disney World next year for Christmas. He'll be two and a half by then and Mads will have asked us a billion times by then."

"True"

Olivia noticed his eyes change and knew he was holding back.

"Spill it, Grant."

"Alright, I kinda wanted to take her sooner than next year."

"When were you thinking?"

"This summer."

"This summer? Fitz, no."

"Just hear me out. We could leave FJ with my parents or Abby for a weekend, just like three days and take her. It would be fun."

"It would be just as fun next year."

"By next year she'll be in the first grade and will barely believe in anything."

"What does that even mean, babe." She was laughing at him but stopped at the serious look on his face.

"I want to see her face light up the first time she sees Cinderella because she thinks she's found a real life princess. Or when she sees Tiana for the first time and gets excited because it's a princess that looks like she does. Or Rapunzel or hell Minnie Mouse and Doc McStuffins. I don't want to show up next year when she knows it's some regular person dressed up or someone in a costume. I want to take her while that innocence is still completely there. And I wanna see that and be able to remember that for the rest of my life. She's only going to be this young for so long, Livvie. I mean hell, she's got boys sleeping over already."

He smirked up at her and she knew it was his way of making light of his serious confession. Her husband was going to have the hardest time ever with their daughter growing up and Olivia could only hope to one day give him another little girl to do it all over again with.

"So what you're telling me is that I need to start planning a trip to Disney world this summer?"

The smirk on Fitz's face turned into a full smile and Olivia shook her head as his lips descended to hers.

"Yes," he spoke between each kiss. "Let's" _kiss _"take" _kiss _"our baby" _kiss _"to" _kiss _"Disney World" _kiss._

* * *

"Go get him."

_Silence_

"Please go get him. I wanna wake up with him in bed with us, Fitz. I already caved and let him sleep in his crib last but, but I'm demanding him now."

_Silence_

"Fitz!" Olivia whispered harshly.

Fitz finally turned over and faced his wife who was staring at him with raised eyebrows. He had been awake the moment he felt her reach over him to grab his phone and check the time. Fitz remembered seeing her phone on the kitchen counter when he climbed into bed that night, but had been too lazy to grab it for her. Fitz's internal alarm clock was always on time so he knew it couldn't have been later than six-thirty when his wife began waking him.

"Liv you couldn't let me sleep in just a little longer. It's Saturday for god's sake."

"Babe, bring him in! I want to wake him up on his birthday with the both of us there."

"But if we get him out of his crib, you're gonna wake him up."

"I won't."

"Yea you will."

"Babe, I really won't."

"Liv, the second I bring him in, you're gonna be all over him kissing him nonstop and cuddling him and he's gonna wake up."

"Well didn't we do that to Mads on her birthday?"

"Yea, at like eight o'clock, not before sunrise."

"Fitzgerald Grant, go get my baby."

"Olivia Grant, no."

"If he wakes up, I'll nurse him and you know his lazy self will go right back to sleep."

Fitz eyed her, but still didn't look convinced.

"It's either you bring him in, or I'm gonna lay here and completely break down. Fitz our baby is one! How did that happen?"

Fit didn't answer her but smiled nonetheless and was feeling nostalgic just thinking of their little boy.

"He's like quadrupled his weight"

"Hey!" Her hand slapped against his chest in Elijah's defense. And she smiled when Fitz gave in and rolled over to engulf her from behind. "Don't make fun of baby chunky monkey."

"He's such a butterball. I love it."

"He's such a mini you, and I love that."

"Mom kept saying he would look just like me but I tried not to get my hopes up."

"Why not?"

"Mads looks like him a little but I see so many of your features in her so I assumed he'd look like you."

"Have you not seen your niece? She's Sarah's clone. I knew from the get go he would look like you all the way around. All I really gave him was a hint of chocolate to that pretty skin of his."

Fitz's hold on her waist tightened and he attacked her neck feverishly, running his tongue over her jaw before kissing her skin thoroughly.

"I love my chocolate wife."

"God that's cheesy."

Olivia smirked and rolled over to face Fitz. She indulged him for a few moments and only stopped him once his hands began to wander to dangerous territory.

"Go get my baby."

"Olivia" he responded seriously, but she wasn't backing down.

"Fitz! He's one today! One! Go get him so he can wake up with us. I promise I'll make it up to you tonight."

A single eyebrow rose at her words and he moved out of her embrace and left the room. Olivia sat up against the headboard and waited. She heard his heavy footsteps before she saw him appear in the doorway carrying their big boy. Fitz lied down on his back and Elijah was sprawled out on his chest, his breathing so heavy it gave off a light snore.

"He's so damn cute."

Olivia moved closer to occupy the other side of Fitz's chest and stared at the sleeping baby. His plump lips were slightly open and Olivia couldn't stop herself from kissing them. He smacked them together twice before he became still again.

"Think we should wait until this one is out of diapers before we have another?"

"How about we wait until my breasts stop leaking before we try to get me pregnant again?"

"Deal."

"Deal."

Fitz sighed happy that he had listened to his wife. They both needed to wake up holding their little boy on this day. After all, he was their miracle baby.

"Happy Birthday baby boy."

Three hours later Abby, Catherine and Jerry came over to celebrate Elijah's first birthday. Fitz and Olivia had already decided to do something small for his celebration knowing that he would not remember it, and that they didn't have to do something extravagant. They had ordered donuts from their favorite shop just a few miles away and the colorful glazed donuts spelled out "Happy 1st Birthday FJ" in blue, gray, and yellow icing. Spread around the words were both chocolate and glazed donut holes along with an assortment of juice and coffee for the grown-ups.

Fitz had been sure to grab multiple balloons to attach to his little one's chair, and Elijah was constantly focused on the helium filled balloons. Olivia and Fitz knelt down beside the high chair, each holding a hand of their little boy as Catherine placed a single glazed doughnut in front of him with one lit candle flickering in front of him. He stared at the bright candle and glanced around as everyone began singing happy birthday to him. When the song was finished, Olivia and Fitz blew out the candle before removing it and allowing Elijah to stare at the donut. He poked at it before glancing back up at both of his parents to gauge their reactions. When he noticed that they only smiled and encouraged him to 'eat-eat', the little boy took a hold of the sugary treat and brought it directly to his mouth. The seven teeth that he had did more damage than they expected to the donut and it only took minutes for him to completely devour it. Olivia brought his sippy cup over to the high chair and set it down so that he could see it. He reached for the yellow cup and drank generously from it, all the while Olivia was holding her breath. Her doctor had encouraged her to mix the remainder of her breast milk with Elijah's new milk, and she had been silently praying that he would not reject the mixture. She silently cheered as he continued to drink the milk, and she was grateful to know that she wouldn't have to let her milk go to waste. Everyone continued to eat the sweet treats and Olivia caved in and allowed her baby boy two more donut holes. As per their request, he had only received a few outfits and three toys because he really had no need for anything. Just as they expected, he spent more time playing with the wrapping paper and boxes than his actual gifts.

Overall, it was a great first birthday and Olivia and Fitz were glad they were able to spend it with family.

* * *

It was definitely warming up outside but the breeze was welcomed. Olivia sat outside on the trampoline and knew if she waited for her husband to come out on his own, that she would be waiting forever. According to her calculations, Fitz should have been outside at least ten minutes ago. It was fifteen minutes ago that she'd awakened him and told him to meet her outside as he was. He mumbled an agreement and Olivia had taken off to get things ready for their breakfast. She had chopped up the fresh pineapple and watermelon she had bought the night before and had perfectly fried their omelettes up. Once she had everything on a tray, she covered it before carefully placing it on the trampoline.

Standing up, Olivia walked slowly to the opened net and stepped down before jogging inside of the house. She went to peek her head into the bedroom and saw him exactly where she left him. Olivia rolled her eyes before going into the garage and reaching in the top cabinet and pulling out the plastic bag she had stashed there the night before. She hadn't planned on pulling these out until later but Olivia figured this might be the only way to wake her husband up.

Olivia tip-toed back into the room and held the large orange and blue nerf gun tightly in her hands. She quietly pushed the bedroom door open and smirked at seeing her husband just as she'd left him. He was sprawled out on his face sideways on the bed and snoring heavily. Olivia closed one eye and aimed for the small of his back where the sheet was no longer covering and pulled the trigger once, expelling five bullets.

"AH SHIT!"

His body jerked up and Olivia couldn't stop the hollering from coming out of her mouth and the second he heard her, the confusion disappeared from his face as he saw her hunched over in the doorway.

"What the hell was that, Livvie?"

He stretched his arm back and touched his tingling skin before he looked down and finally saw what had hit his bare skin. He picked up one of the yellow bullets and looked up at her shocked.

"Don't even think about it. I'm armed, Fitzgerald!"

"Oh I can see that." He began and picked up the remaining four bullets and holding them up. "Do I get one of these?"

"No."

"That doesn't seem entirely fair."

"You should've woken up when I told you." Olivia shot another round at him and moved back as he continued to walk slowly towards her.

"Liv where is it?"

He didn't stop walking towards her and she moved backwards down the hall before Fitz broke out in a full run, reaching her in a split second.

"I guess you either need to run and hide or go find a new weapon" Fitz said as he disarmed her and held her hands together with one of his.

"Can I have a head start?"

"Did I get a head start?"

"No, but I'm kinda sexy and you love me."

"Oh is that right. What if I did this?"

Olivia squealed as she felt the plastic gun slide under her t-shirt and over her panties, firing once.

"Ah! Fitz that hurt!"

"I think you'll survive. I'll kiss it and make it feel all better, later. Now you still want that head start?"

When she nodded her head, Fitz grabbed the bottom of the t-shirt she was wearing, which was his, and in one swift move pulled it over her head, leaving her in just her bra and panties.

"This is my compromise, baby. Now you got to the count of twenty."

Olivia broke out of Fitz's hold and made her way into the laundry room for the other nerf gun before she scurried into the living room and ducked down behind the couch. For the next twenty minutes Olivia and Fitz Grant ran around their home and backyard in only their underwear shooting each other with nerf guns. Fitz had shot Olivia directly in the chest, and the second she fell to the ground and held her chest, Fitz was immediately running to her side, which caused him to get shot right in penis. Olivia had played him good, but Fitz couldn't fake the pain the plastic, fast shooting bullets caused his manhood.

"Dammit Livvie!"

She fell to her knees beside him and rubbed his face as he groaned and kept his hands over his groin.

"I was just paying you back, Babe."

"Oh so I shot you in your dick?"

"Not exactly, but.."

"You know he's off limits. Nothing comes close enough to hurt my guy."

"Your guy?" Olivia asked rolling her eyes at his words.

"Yes my guy."

"I'm so sorry that I hurt your guy, baby."

Her tone was condescending and Fitz didn't appreciate it.

"If you're really sorry you'll make sure he's okay down there."

"And how do you suppose I do that?"

"Just touch him."

"Touch him?"

"Yep. He's pretty easy. Just likes to know he's well cared for."

"Oh okay." She played along and moved her hand under the waistband of his boxers and ran her finger tips over his flesh.

"I'm serious. I keep him safe and protected on a daily basis. It's why he grows so big and strong."

Fitz subconsciously lifted his hips towards her hand as she wrapped her hand around him, deciding to give him exactly what he wanted.

"You know we now have cold breakfast outside on the trampoline?"

He took his time responding, instead he allowed his hand to wander to her back as he easily unhooked her bra and exposed her bare chest to his hungry gaze. They pleasured one another for what seemed like hours, Olivia forcing Fitz to touch her where she desired him the most until they both came from foreplay alone. When they fully connected on the living room couch, Olivia rode him backwards as he guided her hips swiftly into his hard length. They were panting and sweaty, neither being able to remember the last time they were this free in their own home. They came a final time simultaneously, Fitz not daring to last any longer with her walls milking him the way they always seemed to.

It was nearing lunch time, but Olivia and Fitz stayed tangled together on the couch, naked save for the throw blanket atop of them. They were content in being lazy with one another and they always would be.

"I don't think I've ever been so grateful for your parents."

Fitz laughed and agreed. His hands continued to trace soft patterns on Olivia's back as she rested her head on his chest. Their omelets had been stashed in the microwave, but Fitz had thrown the neatly placed fruit into a bowl and brought it to the couch in all his naked glory after hearing his wife's stomach growl several times.

"I completely agree. They are a god sent."

"They are. And we still have two more days of this."

Olivia took a bite of the watermelon Fitz held to her lips, purposely licking his fingers before he pulled back.

"Is it so bad that I miss them like crazy?"

Fitz had to laugh at her confession because he knew it was coming. The truth was he missed their children too, but he was more than happy with his parents giving them an extra long weekend in their home alone. It was a first for them, so they were bound to be just a little sad and missing their babies.

"I've been thinking about what you said with me going back to work being my decision…"

"And?"

"And I think six more months. Maybe sooner? They have the eighteen-month old class as Apple Creek and I really want him to go there. Mads went there at that age and it's amazing. If there isn't a waiting list, which there usually is, but if there's not, I know I could talk the director into letting us enroll FJ in a couple of months early. I mean he's pretty advanced for his age, don't you think?"

"Of course I think so, but we're so damn biased baby."

"You're right."

She left the conversation there and Fitz didn't mind at all. They still had time to think about it and didn't have to decide anything at that moment.

"Let's just see what happens when we get to that point."

"Okay."

He felt her sigh heavily and knew she was completely content with everything that was happening in that moment.

"I have a feeling that as amazing as life is right now, that it just might get a bit crazy soon."

Olivia sat up at his coy words and looked him in the eyes, confusion written all over her face.

"Why do you say that?"

His facial expression was the cockiest Olivia had probably ever seen and when she raised a single eyebrow, telling him to continue, his words came out with just as much confidence as his appearance.

"Because Livvie, I'm pretty sure I just got you pregnant."

Olivia Grant laughed loudly at his statement and shook her head slowly and he nodded his head in disagreement.

_Like i said, cocky. Lord knows I hope he never changes._

* * *

**Leave your thoughts. Until next time. **


	27. Chapter 26

**Okay, so I tried my BEST to post this in March lol, but it didn't happen! Thank you all so much for the PM's, reviews and comments on this chapter being posted. I hope you enjoy it! Like I said ill do my best to post both stories once a month and I fell through for March, but expect an April post! Enjoy and leave a review!**

* * *

"What?"

"Did I wake you up?"

Olivia removed the phone from her face and looked at the time before bringing it back to sit between her face and shoulder.

"No. I'm usually awake at ten-thirty on a Friday night after taking care of two kids for five days."

"Hey now, you agreed to this. I didn't want to do it, but I did it anyway."

"Well you kinda needed to go and knowing it would be nothing like the last one, of course I was going to send you on your merry, childless way, dog-less.."

"Dog-less? What did Scooter do?"

"He got out tonight!"

"What? How?"

"Because your juvenile son opened the front door and let him out."

"You're kidding me? Really?"

"Yep, I can't believe you left me for a week to handle him."

"Livvie..."

"I'm kidding Fitz, seriously. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Is Aly still dropping you guys off?"

"Yes she is. I just wanted to call you before we left Atlanta."

"It'll be such a quick flight."

"Yep, it's barely an hour. I hope my side of the bed is free and clear by the time I stroll in at two a.m."

"Yea yea, you're so funny. You think I enjoy him sneaking in here every night? That little monster kicks me all night long."

"Well, you should've listened to me and kept the crib up longer."

Olivia sighed and turned into her back to stare up at the slow moving ceiling fan.

"We are not having this debate again. You weren't home with him when he learned to climb out of that thing! I couldn't find him for like five whole minutes and thought he'd been kidnapped."

"That's cause you worry too much. As soon as you thought rationally, where'd you find his chunky self?"

Olivia turned her head and snorted into the pillow at the memory.

"In the pantry."

"Doing what?"

"Eating the Breakfast Essentials powder from the container."

Her laugh was loud and she remembered crying out of relief at finding the chubby nineteen month old. He was busy dipping his hand in and out of the chocolate drink mix without a care in the world.

"Yes. He was hiding and sneaking chocolate powder. God, he's more of a foodie than you are!"

"He takes after his Momma"

"It kills me that he refuses to say Mommy."

Fitz wondered if it drove her crazy, But Olivia constantly assured him that she loved what their son called her. Olivia had always been "Mommy" to Madison, but her little boy still hadn't stopped using his name for her.

"I love being Momma though. He can call me whatever he wants as long as 'Vee' doesn't come back."

"Aww, but I loved 'Vee'"

"Yea you would. All he hears you call me is 'Livvie' so naturally, he decides to be just like daddy and try to call me that."

Olivia listened as Fitz chuckled on the other line, quietly praising their smart son. She took the phone from her ear and checked the time before speaking to Fitz again.

"Baby I'm gonna go back to sleep. What time does your flight land?"

Fitz read off the time from his ticket and she nodded while yawning. Fitz was starting to feel bad for waking her up and they said their goodbyes before hanging up the phone.

* * *

"Daddy" Seven year old Madison poked her head into her parent's room and walked in quietly just as her mother had instructed. She wasn't supposed to be very loud, and she was only supposed to see if her dad was awake; not wake him up. There was only one problem- she couldn't help herself. He hadn't gotten home until late that night after she had already gone to bed, and she missed her dad tucking her in and reading to her all week long. They'd skype each night, but it wasn't the same.

Moving quietly towards the bed, Madison lifted the covers, and crawled into Fitz's personal space, and cuddled her head on his chest, just under his chin. She curled her body into him as tightly as she could and clutched his shirt in her left hand.

Fitz didn't need to open his eyes to see who was currently in bed with him. There were two tell signs whenever Madison snuck into their bed. Firstly, he was always able to distinguish the smell of her hair from Olivia's. Her fragrance was now more subtle with a hint of mint, while Madison's still smelt of straight coconut oil and shea butter. He would also feel her small knees in his lower stomach after she was done curling up as tightly as she could.

"Good morning best girl." Fitz murmured into the thick, mane of curls atop Madison's head.

"Morning daddy, I missed you so much while you were gone."

"I missed you too bestgirl, I'm so glad to be home with you guys." He sat up against the headboard and pulled her to sit on his lap sideways. Madison pushed at her hair, removing the untamed curls from her face and leaned up and kissed his cheek. He leaned down to give her one back and smiled when she pulled back and hid her face in his chest. They'd both noticed Olivia standing in the doorway at the same time.

"Madison Olivia Grant, I told you to not wake daddy up, he didn't get home till very late and needed to sleep."

"I just wanted to cuddle with daddy" she murmured, batting her eyes at her mom"

"She actually didn't wake me Livy, I was already up when she came in, I'm good."

She quirked her eyebrow at him, knowing he was lying to her. Till this day, Madison still had Fitz wrapped around her little finger, and he had a hard time disciplining her, leaving it to Olivia. He did it when he had to, but the little things still was left to Olivia most of the time. She got away with murder when it came to her Daddy.

"Yea yea, the double team strikes again." She rolled her eyes and walked towards the bed and grabbed a hold of Madison's ankle.

"Mommy, no!"

The little girl giggled, but held tightly to her daddy's arm. It was funny to her, but she wanted to stay right where she was- in her daddy's arms.

"Liv, it's ok." Fitz interupted

"No, you need to rest. Mads, let's go. Your brother is at the table by himself."

She huffed and pouted but scooted off the side of the bed and dropped to the floor before she walked out of the room sulking.

"You didn't have to do that."

Fitz saw the look on his daughter's face and felt horrible.

"She's fine. You didn't go to sleep till after almost four, I could tell."

"And who's fault is that?"

Olivia rolled her eyes at his insinuation. He was right, but that didn't mean she liked it. She had awakened the second she heard the door chime signal and jumped his bones the second he was in their bedroom. He had gone in to kiss the kids, but the second he stepped into their room, Olivia was waiting, perched on her knees. They were up for almost an hour making love and after Fitz jumped in the shower, he tried his best to wake her up again, but wasn't able to. Olivia was drained from her week with the kids and work so she was happy to have her husband and was content to sleep in his arms.

"I am just trying to make sure you're rested. Won't happen again."

Fitz knew she didn't say that jokingly and he groaned when she walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Fitz got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. When he was done using the toilet, he went to freshen up at the sink and threw on a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeved t-shirt. When he walked out of the bedroom, he smiled at the sound of FJ's voice. The little boy was screaming "bacon bacon bacon."

When Fitz made it into the dining room, he laughed seeing Elijah unsnap the buckles of his booster seat. The little boy turned towards the kitchen where Olivia was loading the dishwasher, and lifted a leg onto the table. He climbed fully onto the table and quietly moved to the middle where the remainder of the bacon sat. His chunky hand reached out and grabbed as many slices that would fit in his hand before he moved backwards to his seat.

"Mommy always sees what you're doing, FJ." Olivia spoke without looking up.

Fitz did his best to hold in his laughter as he watched FJ's eyes grow wide the second Olivia spoke. He released the handful of bacon from his fingers and stuffed one slice in his mouth before scrambling faster to his seat.

Deciding to make his presence known, Fitz moved towards FJ and grabbed him from behind, making the small boy jump.

"Ahhh! DaDEE! You come back!" his short arms circled Fitz's neck and squeezed him tight, his little teeth grinding together as he used all his strength.

"I did come back! I told you I would. Can I have kisses?"

Fitz leaned his head back and waited as Elijah forced a wet kiss on his lips, a loud and exaggerated smacking sound following.

"Oh thank you. Did you miss me?"

Elijah nodded his head and grabbed a hold of Fitz's nose before yanking his hand back and squealing "I got you nose, Daddy!"

"Oh man, you took it! Oh no, I can't smell anything!"

Fitz began swaying as though he had lost his balance while he pretended to search for his nose.

"I can't find it anywhere! FJ, I need it back! What did you do with it?"

"Here 'go, Daddy!"

Elijah's giggles stopped Fitz in his tracks as the little boy held out an empty hand towards him. Fitz grabbed at the air over his hand and brought his hand back to his face before widening his eyes at Elijah.

"My nose is back! Oh thank goodness, I can smell again!"

Elijah was in an immediate fit of giggles, hanging from Fitz's arms.

"God, I missed you buddy! Do you need to go potty?"

The laughter stopped and Elijah turned his head completely away from Fitz. He crossed his arms and Fitz could see his lips pursed out. Fitz glanced to Olivia who mirrored their two year old to the T. Arms crossed, identical shaped lips pursed and a scowl deeply etched into their face. That was exactly why he was spoiled. For Fitz it was seeing Olivia in his son that completely melted him, but he was usually the one that disciplined Elijah while Olivia would be smitten by the little boy and his actions. Seeing herself in Elijah was nice but it was his daddy's eyes that got him sent directly to his father. Olivia couldn't handle how much her little boy reminded her of her husband. His lips were shaped like hers, but were thin like Fitz's, his eyes also shaped like hers but the color was all Grant. Even his smirk was Grant inherited, making it severely hard to be upset with her little boy.

"Still not cooperating?"

"That would be the understatement of the year. He's gonna be the only kid come fall in the three year old class that's not potty trained." She closed the dishwasher before pressing the start button and moving to wipe the table off.

"Everyone else is trained already?" Fitz asked shocked. There was no way in hell some of those other droolers were potty trained before his son. Some of them were barely speaking in full sentences like Elijah was.

"Not everyone fully. Most of the girls are of course trained and only wetting at nap time, and two of the boys, but the others are right on track. It's just our monster that wants to give the teachers and us a hard time."

"Did he take the pull-ups off again?"

"Twice this week at school and once at home with me."

"Just once with you? What'd you do to him?" Fitz asked with a laugh knowing if his son only stripped off his pull-up for Olivia one time, then some discipline must have happened.

"I popped him." Olivia spoke sheepishly. She had been one of those "I'll never spank my kids" type of parents before she had kids and even when she had Madison, but Elijah Fitzgerald Grant was changing all her preconceptions. He didn't get spanked, but he received "pop" on his diaper or pull-up clad bottom and on his hand occasionally when a scolding or time-out didn't do the trick.

"Oh man, it must've been bad."

"Let's just say I bleached our bathroom floor and tub since you've been done."

"He shit?"

Olivia hung her head to the side, giving Fitz an unappreciated look at his choice of words, making him rephrase the question.

"I'm sorry, did he poop?"

"Yep, he did the honors of taking his pull up off and left it on the floor and climbed in the bathtub with Mads, who of course starts screaming at me to come in there. It was a mess. Only reason I didn't get him on his butt is because he was naked."

"And covered in poop."

"That too, plus your bright-skinned child bruises like a peach."

"That's true. Well, I will make it my business everyday this week when I'm home to practice using the potty until bedtime." At the word 'potty', Elijah began squirming in his arms and Fitz allowed the little boy to slide down his body as he held on to his small wrist. The second he hit the floor, Fitz let go and Elijah wandered off, leaving the parents to themselves.

"That will be nice. I'm tired of buying diapers for him. I'm ready for pull-ups only."

"Only?" Fitz said eyeing her with a smirk on his face.

"Well, at least until this little guy pops out."

"Or girl, and then it starts all over again with the diapers." Fitz brought his hand up to caress Olivia's medium sized baby bump. She was four months along and finally getting to the semi-glowing stage that had come much earlier in her previous pregnancies.

"All over again." Olivia placed her hand over his and held it there for a minute.

"Was last night okay? Not too much?"

Fitz asked, knowing she had taken it upon herself to attack him and he did nothing to stop and check on his pregnant wife. He saw an immediate blush color her cheeks.

"Absolutely not. We are both completely fine."

"Good."

Olivia stared at him for a few moments before she shook her head at the flutters she felt from the baby inside of her stomach.

"How in the world did I allow you to impregnate me so soon?" She was smiling at him but it was such a valid question. They certainly hadn't been trying for another baby. Olivia had been back at school working full time and things were so well-adjusted and then they found out they were expecting a little over two months ago.

"My guy is just THAT good."

That was always his answer to anyone that asked about their surprise pregnancy and it always ended in a shove or elbow from his wife.

"I guess I should be grateful that you knocked me up sooner rather than later. I don't want another summer baby. I hate being pregnant in the summer, so I'm grateful it's fall and almost winter."

"Me too, it'll give us a chance to move away from swimming parties or things outside that we have to do. Hey, "Fitz began, changing the subject. "did you remember to see if Harrison will be moved down in time for the appointment? If not, I need to make sure mom is free to watch the kids."

"No, they had a cancelation, so I just switched it to go on my lunch break and if I'm late someone will cover my class until I'm back. Can you switch stuff around so you have the same lunch as me, or we can just meet there so you don't have to take it earlier to pick me up and drop me off."

"I'll make it work."

"Good." She looked down at her stomach and gave it a few gentle pats while speaking, "you be a little girl in there so we can get your daddy snipped okay?"

"Not a chance in hell, Livvie."

"I'm making sure I give our daughter a sister, then I'm done" She said with playful eyes.

"How about we just table this discussion until we find out what we're having? Besides, I know better to argue with a pregnant Olivia Grant."

"You're pretty, and smart. Good, I'm about to throw some clothes on because Abby will be here in a little while and we're leaving."

"Why is she driving over here? Isn't she like due next week?"

"Yea, but she's been driving David crazy, so I told him that I would take her off his hands until after lunch. He's dropping her off and we're going to get our nails and feet done and then eating at the movie grill."

"Alright, I got the kids, you go and have fun with your very pregnant friend."

"Stop it Fitz," she said eyeing him as he followed her into the bedroom. "You know she gets so offended when you refer to her as being 'very pregnant' Don't let her hear you say that and as a matter of fact, I don't want to hear you saying that. Is that what you're gonna say about me in a month or two?"

"I'm not crazy and I don't have a death wish, so no. Besides, I only pick with her because she's so easy to get to now. Before she wouldn't listen to a damn word I said."

Olivia rolled her eyes at Fitz before going into the bathroom and closing the door.

"DaDEE?"

Fitz turned to see Elijah who was walking towards him with his hands in small fists, now all smiles. Fitz was glad he was no longer frowning. He also was surprised he had stayed so quiet after being placed down. Normally they would've heard him and Madison either playing or fighting by now.

"Hi buddy."

"Bwack?

"Huh?"

"Bwack! I do it!" he brought his little fists up and opened his hands, showing Fitz his ink covered hands and fingers.

"Shit!" Fitz tried to mumble unsuccessfully.

"Sit!" Elijah tried to repeat.

Fitz crouched down in front of him and grabbed both of his hands so the little boy wouldn't touch anything, and spoke to him in a stern voice.

"FJ, that's a no! You don't play with Mommy or Daddy's pens. You know that. Where is it?"

He didn't wait for him to reply, and grabbed his wrists in one hand before scooping him up, facing out and carrying him to their office where he was sure his son had been.

"FJ" Fitz sighed in frustration at the sight of several ink cartridges opened and spilled onto the carpet.

"Oh, DaDEE I sowey!" Elijah read the disappointment in his daddy's face and grabbed both of his cheeks with an open palm and kissed him loudly two times. "It all bed-or' DaDEE"

Fitz stared at his son's remorseful eyes and couldn't help but smile. Although he knew without a doubt that his cheeks were smeared with ink, and it would take a miracle to get the ink out of the carpet, he was home with his family again and in every way imaginable, his two year old was completely right. It was 'all bed-or' after all.

* * *

It was Monday morning and things were running as smoothly as they normally did in the Grant household. Lunches for both kids had been partially packed the night before, clothes had been laid out for the week and Fitz and Olivia were up and getting themselves and Madison ready while giving Elijah twenty more minutes to sleep.

"Toots, are you almost done? Daddy set up your treatment, so finish up."

"Almost, I have to brush my teeth first."

"Did you eat already?" Olivia asked surprised. She knew to brush her teeth after breakfast.

"Yea, it was just a boiled egg and toast."

"Daddy didn't make you pancakes?" Monday was always pancakes for breakfast.

"No, he promised to make french toast instead tomorrow."

"Well that'll be a nice treat, go ahead and finish up and then go to do your treatment."

She finished securing the button on her pants and ran after Olivia's retreating form.

"Mommy, can I watch a show while I do it?"

Olivia moved to her closet and pulled out her yellow long-sleeved tunic shirt and pulled it over her bra, praying that she hadn't grown since the last time she'd worn the shirt.

"You can turn the tv on, but don't turn it up. You won't be able to hear it over the machine and I don't want you turning it up." She smoothed down the blouse over her bump and moved to the closet as Madison ran from the room.

When Madison reached her bedroom, she grabbed a hold of her socks and carried them to the couch with her. Grabbing the remote, she pressed the buttons to turn the tv and cable box on before she pressed channel sixty and plopped down on the left end of the couch. The screen lit up and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse turned on. Madison scooted back against the cushion and lifted the face mask from its stand and placed it on her nose before pulling the strap over her bonnet. She took a few seconds to make it more comfortable on her face and then flipped the switch, making the albuterol begin to fill her lungs. It was her morning routine for the fall and she was used to the morning treatment and the one she'd have right after lunch, just before recess. She usually was sent from the cafeteria to her mother's classroom and Olivia would give her the treatment and speak a little time with her daughter before sending her off to play with the rest of her class. Madison bent each leg to put on her socks, and sat back to enjoy the rest of the show.

Olivia was completely ready for the day and placed her and Madison's lunch bags by the door along with her workbag before walking down the hall to wake Elijah up. He was usually awake in his room and running out of the door by now, but he had been moved back and forth from their bed to his own. All he wanted to do was "Sweep wit DaDEE, pwease." After the second time Fitz had taken him back into his own room, Olivia made him put the child safety knob on the door and the little one banged on the door for a good five minutes until Olivia came in and put him in his bed with a scolding warning to stay in his bed. He cried for another thirty minutes before he passed out, hanging off of his bed.

"Good morning sweet boy."

Olivia greeted Elijah after shutting his music off. Olivia grabbed his clothes from the closet and brought them to the changing table before lifting him from his toddler bed.

"Moma" was all he said in a sleepy voice as he cuddled into her chest for a few moments.

Olivia kissed his head several times before lying him down on the changing table and wiping him down with a few wipes and dressing him for the day.

"What do you want for breakfast, baby boy?" Olivia spoke walking with Elijah on her hip to the kitchen. He was still clinging to her and refusing to be put down, so she knew to choose her battle that morning.

"Nana"

"Okay you want banana, what else?" She said walking towards the banana she had already cut up and placed on a plate at his seat. "Toast? You want some bread?"

He nodded his head and allowed Olivia to sit him in his seat before strapping him in and covering him in a bib that went over his head and covered his entire shirt. It was the only way they fed him nowadays.

"DaDEE?"

"Your DaDEE will be out in a minute, he's getting his clothes on." Olivia responded mimicking her son. The emphasis he put on 'DEE" still made her laugh and she truly didn't understand where it came from.

"Don't go making fun of my boy" Fitz walked into the kitchen, leaving the last button open on his Polo shirt. "Morning buddy." Fitz moved to sit next to him for a second and moved his curls away from his face before kissing his cheek good morning.

"DaDEE share? Want some?" Elijah asked holding the fork out to him with a thin sliced banana on the end.

"Yes sir, thank you." Fitz opened his mouth and allowed Elijah to feed him the fruit before the little boy brought the half eaten piece of toast to Fitz's lips as well, prompting him to eat the bread as well. "So good."

Fitz kissed his head and glanced at the clock seeing that it was about time for Madison and Olivia to leave. He stood from the table and noticed Olivia filling her to go mug with the tea she drank each morning. He walked to the living room off and turned the tv off before plopping down on the couch by Madison.

"Let me check it, Toots." Fitz titled her head back so that he could get a better look at how much liquid was inside. "You're all done." He said shutting the machine off and lifting her into his arms. She was getting bigger and soon enough he knew she'd be too big to carry or she would no longer want him to carry her.

"Is your backpack all ready to go?"

She nodded her head against his shoulder, hating that she had to go to school and leave her daddy. The weekend simply wasn't enough time to spend together after being apart for a full week. He walked her into the laundry room and helped her put on her coat and shoes before grabbing her backpack and handing it to her.

"Alright Best Girl, I'll see you after school. Do your best and be great baby girl. I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy. Do a good job at work and do your best too." She leaned towards Fitz and gave him a quick kiss before pulling the seatbelt over her chest and buckling it in.

Fitz closed her door and walked back into the laundry room where Olivia was waiting with Elijah on her hip.

"Bye baby boy. You have a good day with your class okay? And go potty like a big boy!" She kissed Elijah's head before passing him to Fitz. "Can I have a smooch?"

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her lips. He laughed and continued kissing her lips as she rubbed her nose against his until he couldn't contain his laughing anymore.

Fitz smiled at their interaction and leaned in to kiss his wife when she was standing upright again. Olivia allowed him access to her tongue when she felt his tongue begging. With keeping it as PG as possible, they enjoyed each other for a few more moments, before pulling away.

"I love you and I'm so glad you're home, baby." Olivia held her hand against his face and wished that she could spend the entire day at home with him. They had been married for three years and Olivia's heart still ached each time she was separated from Fitz.

"I'm glad too. I love you Livvie. I'll talk to you at lunch." He kissed her one last time before letting her leave.

Fitz walked through the kitchen to grab his lunch bag, Elijah's backpack and his car keys.

"Alright Big Guy, let's get you to school."

"Let's go to schoo' DaDEE!"

* * *

A few days later, Olivia sat at the park with the kids, killing time before Fitz got off work. The plan was to meet them at Chick-fila once he was off, but he had gotten stuck in a bit of traffic so Olivia did her best to distract the kids. Olivia kept a close eye on the kids as they played on the small playground together. She was grateful that Madison enjoyed playing with her little brother, making Olivia not have to run around after the fast two year old every second.

"Olivia?"

Turning at the sound of her name, Olivia was completely shocked to see the person standing behind her.

"Joyce? Is that…what are you doing here?"

Olivia's first thought was to protect her daughter and shield her away from this woman that she never expected to see again.

"I know this is sudden, but I wanted to see you and talk to you.."

Olivia barely heard the words coming from her lips and could only focus on spotting her children in the mix of kids running around. Olivia panicked for a second until she heard Madison's laughter. She spotted her immediately then, and noticed her encouraging her brother to follow her across the bridge.

"She's beautiful. I can't believe how big she is."

Olivia turned at the sound of the unwelcomed voice once again and wondered if she was making her unborn baby uncomfortable with how stressed she was getting.

"Why are you here? Where is…"

"He's dead. He died shortly after…"

Olivia looked down, not wanting to show off her expressionless and careless face. As much as a disgusting human being that he was, Jake was this woman's son and Olivia couldn't blame her for loving him and mourning his death. The fact that Joyce Ballard was standing in front of her was still mind-blowing.

"Why are you here?"

"I just wanted to see her. I don't have to talk to her or anything, I just wanted to look at her." Joyce began to choke up and grabbed the tissues from her pocket and brought them to her eyes.

Watching the woman break down in front of her made Olivia's heart break. She knew her children would never turn out to be like Jake, but she knew in the deepest part of her heart that if they made horrible decisions in life, she would still always love them.

"She's smart."

Olivia felt her voice crack, and sucked in deep breath before wiping at the tears that began building up in her eyes. She carefully sat back down on the bench and watched out of the corner of her eye as Joyce followed suit.

"She's very smart and loves to read. She reads to us every night before she goes to bed." Olivia watched Madison stand in the way of the bridge so that no one could rush past Elijah until he was off.

"Us?" Joyce voiced quietly.

"Me and my husband. Her father." Olivia spoke with confidence wanting Joyce to understand that her daughter had everything she needed in life.

"That's nice. I'm glad she has that."

"She loves her little brother."

"I can tell that."

"She has such a gentle soul."

"Jake was a gentle child." Joyce said quietly.

Olivia's head snapped towards her, disgusted that she would respond in such a way. Insinuating that her daughter was anything like her biological father was demeaning to Madison and Olivia wouldn't allow it.

"She's nothing like him."

"I didn't mean to…do you think.. could I say hi to her?"

"That can't.."

"Mommy!" Madison spoke gleefully rushing to Olivia with Elijah holding tightly to her hand. "Can we go eat with Daddy yet?"

"I want my drink." Elijah spoke clearly, reaching into his back pack for his sippy cup. He was instantly distracted with drinking from the cup.

Olivia wasn't sure what to do, but knew that she wanted this woman as far away from her daughter as possible.

"Who's she?"

Madison took a step closer to Olivia and leaned in between her legs, staring at the woman on the opposite end of the bench.

"It's no one, sweetie."

"Please.." Joyce tried.

"She's someone who's lost. She thought there was something here for her, but she was wrong." Olivia blew out a deep breath and wrapped an arm around Madison before she looked Joyce in the eyes for the first time. "She was just leaving."

Joyce knew that there was nothing she could do to change Olivia's mind and knew she had to respect her decision.

"You're right. Thank you. You have a beautiful family. She's stunning."

Olivia watched her stand up and walk away from the bench and over to a white car. When Olivia saw the car drive off, she let out a deep breath before grabbing her children's hands and walking to load them in the car.

Olivia had gotten the kids settled at Chick-Fil-A without worrying about if they would actually get to sit down and eat with their dad or not. All she wanted to do at that moment was get them away from the park. Olivia prayed she would not be reminded of Joyce each time she took her kids there, and that the fun place wouldn't be tainted. Olivia sat the two kids at the table that was just to the right of the entrance, and kept an eye on them as she grabbed condiments, forks, straws, and napkins. She turned to walk back to the booth when the door opened and Fitz was before her, smiling an endearing smile.

"Hi you." he greeted, leaning in to kiss her lips, not caring that they were in the doorway of a family restaurant. Olivia however was still aware of her surroundings, and looped her full hand around Fitz's arm and led him to the table where their children were.

"Daddy!" Madison was out of her chair and holding her arms up to him for a hug.

"Hey best girl." He lifted her in his arms and sat down on the bench while keeping her sideways on his lap. "Hi Buddy" he spoke to Elijah and pulled at a curl of his. Elijah looked up at him and smiled, almost ignoring his presence altogether.

"Did you have a good day at work, Daddy?" Madison always made sure to ask about his day?

"I did. I had a lot of patients today. Did you notice someone leave class early today?"

Madison tilted her head to the side, thinking before her face lit up as she remembered who'd left class early.

"Noel left class early! Did she come to your job?"

"Yep, I gave her a check up today. I told her I would tell you hi when I saw you tonight."

Madison giggled and before she could respond, the waitress came over with a tray of food and sat it down in the middle of the table.

"Thank you." Fitz smiled at the young girl and Olivia could've sworn she blushed before walking away.

"Goodness, you and your doctor swag pulling teens." Olivia poked fun at Fitz, pushing Elijah's hand away when he reached for his chocolate milk.

Fitz shrugged with a cocky smirk on his face as he began to disperse the food to his wife and daughter. He handed Elijah his bag of French fries and finished handing out the food and opening sauces for Madison before he placed the box of nuggets in front of his son.

"FJ, what do you say?"

He looked up with a french fry hanging from his mouth and a piece of chicken on the other side of his mouth half chewed and sent a loud 'thank you' to his father.

"Thank you, Daddy" Madison said, not wanting to have to be told by her mother to say thank you.

"You're welcome, Mads" Fitz popped a kiss on her head and opened the food Olivia had ordered for him. The grilled chicken deluxe meal was his favorite next to the spicy chicken sandwich and it was as if Olivia always knew which one he wanted on a particular night. She had ordered herself a plain chicken sandwich with fries and Fitz knew she had requested multiple packs of Chick-Fil-A sauce for their table. If Elijah didn't see it, he didn't mention it, but their entire household lived off of the tangy sauce.

"Did you have fun at the park?" Fitz asked before taking the box of nuggets from Elijah's grip and moving it out of his reach. His greedy son would choke on every bite from stuffing too much food in his mouth if they didn't intervene.

"We did. I helped FJ on the playground. It was a lot of bigger kids playing so I made sure he didn't get hurt."

"Good job, Mads. You're a good sister you know that?"

"I do know that. It's why I'm probably gonna get a sister soon, right? Mommy has to have a girl this time since FJ was a boy."

Olivia laughed at her explanation and shook her head before explaining once again that neither of them had any say over what the baby would be.

"I going to play!" Elijah exclaimed and began climbing from his seat.

"Not so fast buddy, let's finish your drink and then you can go in. Finish chewing your food."

He dramatically chewed his food while looking directly at Olivia and the second he swallowed his food, he opened his mouth wide to prove it to her.

Olivia shook her head and looked at Fitz with wide eyes, "Handle your child."

Fitz laughed along with her and wiped Elijah down with a few napkins before lifting him out of the seat and moving to stand up with him.

"No, you finish eating, I'll take him in." Olivia said stopping him and holding his arms around for Elijah.

"Down, DaDEE!" Fitz obeyed the boys' pleas and placed him down on the floor and he took off a second later with Olivia following behind him.

"Sir, I couldn't help but notice your little boy and all those gorgeous curls of his. He is so adorable and looks just like you."

Fitz turned at the woman's voice and smiled at her and the young child that was sat on her hip. She was Caucasian and it was almost obvious that the father of her child was African American.

"Thank you. He's quite a ham." Fitz said using the term his mother's church friends used to refer to his son. There was something about being in the south that made that expression relevant.

"He is! I can't wait for my little guy's curls to grow out the way yours has. I won't keep you, I just couldn't leave without saying how adorable he is. Your little girl is beautiful too, she must look like your wife."

"She definitely is as beautiful as my wife is." Fitz agreed and smiled at the woman as she walked off.

"Daddy, can I have a bite of your sandwich?"

Fitz turned to Madison and saw her polishing off the last of her chicken nuggets and wondered if she was still hungry. He'd noticed the increase in her appetite lately and assumed she was hitting a growth spurt. Fitz picked up his sandwich and ripped a small chunk off before handing it to her.

"Thanks." She immediately began munching on the food.

"Do you need more food? Here, eat some of my fries." He grabbed a couple from his box and put them in her nugget box. It seemed like just yesterday that the four count nugget, fries, and drink filled his seven year old up, especially once she had ice cream for dessert, but the fact that she asked for more food, let Fitz know that she was indeed growing. They'd have to go up to the six piece for her from now on. She finished the food in two more bites and was crawling over Fitz to get to the play area. When she finally went in and Olivia noticed that Elijah saw her, she left out and went back to sit with Fitz. He was standing up and clearing off the trash at the table. When Olivia got closer, Fitz handed her the leftovers she hadn't finished and then grabbed his and Olivia's drink. They moved closer to a table that was just outside of the play area and sat down facing each other.

"I saw your face when I mentioned the park. Were you feeling okay?"

Olivia reached across the table and grabbed a hold of his hand before bringing it to her lips and kissing his knuckles. Keeping his hand between the two of hers, she rested her head against their intertwined fingers and stared through the window. She watched as Madison laughed as Elijah chased her around the small room, apologizing politely when she bumped into a boy about the same size as her. Her nose was scrunched up and her hair was frizzy and wild, a sign that it had been a long, fun day for her.

"Later"

* * *

It was later that evening that the kids were both tucked into bed, Scooter was resting in Madison's room and Fitz and Olivia were curled up in their bed together, finally talking about her time at the park.

"… I turned around and she was just there. Out of the blue and I didn't know what to say or do really, I just needed to see Mads and make sure she was safe."

"Livvie, what happened? Who was at the park?"

"It was Joyce."

"Joyce?" Fitz repeated, not being able to place the name.

Olivia waited a second before saying the name that she knew would cause her husband to tense up and demand to know why she hadn't called him right away.

"Hold me tighter, okay?"

"Livvie?" He could tell he wouldn't be happy about who she was with from her stalling, but he wasn't sure who could possibly come around that would make her this anxious.

"Just hold me tighter."

Fitz did just that and wrapped her tighter in his arms, bringing her head to rest deeper in the crook of his neck.

"Joyce Ballard."

He was rock hard. Every muscle in his body responded to hearing the name _Ballard_ and Olivia wished she had the words to calm him down. She knew Fitz would start to calm down once Olivia relayed to him how their children were in no danger or real proximity to the woman, but she knew it would take time to have him back in a relaxed state.

"The kids were playing and she was just there. I haven't spoken… I… I haven't even seen here or heard from her since Madison was two. Since that birthday party that he was being such an ass and they.. they were horrible to the both of us."

"What did she want?"

Olivia brought a hand to Fitz's face and left it there, hoping to provide more of a calming mechanism for him. His voice was strained but as much as Olivia wanted him to calm down, she knew it would take time. She'd had a few hours to completely calm down, so she needed to allow him the same period of time.

"She just wanted to see her. She said that she only wanted to see her. She said she didn't want anything else, and just needed to see her face." Olivia paused and let out a few deep breaths before continuing. "I told her she's smart and she is a great big sister. She just stared at her and I could see the pain in her eyes, Fitz and it's the only reason I told her anything."

"She hasn't said a thing in years." He almost snarled out.

"I told her how gentle Madison is and she said that he was a gentle child."

"What? She doesn't have any right to even try to compare our daughter to that bastard."

"I know and I told her she's nothing like him."

Fitz was quiet after that and Olivia could only imagine the thoughts going through his mind. Their daughter was like Fitz in more ways than one.

"Madison is just like her Daddy." Olivia whispered. "And that's always been you."

Fitz swallowed the lump in his throat, fighting the burning at the back of his eyes. Anytime the mention of how much his children, specifically Madison, meant to him was brought up, he would immediately get choked up and at a loss for words.

"Did Madison see her?"

"She was about to ask if she could speak to her but they both ran over and asked when we were going to leave. Madison asked who she was and I told her she was someone that was lost and would be leaving and she left. I don't think she meant any harm…"

"Olivia.." Fitz tried to interrupt, but Olivia wouldn't allow him to continue.

"She's lonely Fitz. And I mean that in many ways. She was a victim in that marriage for so long and brainwashed by him for years. She wasn't able to parent her own son because of it and once he died, she was stuck with her abusive husband until he died. She told me he died only a year later and…. I just.. I don't excuse anything she's ever done or her lack of trying, but I can't hate her for not being able to get out of that type of situation."

"And your heart is too big. You might be right, but it's mercy like yours that people take advantage of, Livvie. I don't want her seeing my daughter." His voice was filled with finality and Olivia wouldn't dare disrespect his wishes.

"She won't. I won't allow it."

* * *

Two weeks went by and Olivia and Fitz sat patiently in the waiting room for their name to be called. They both changed their schedules and left work early after securing adequate coverage for their students and patients. They had planned to let Madison come to one of the appointments with them, but this wouldn't be the one. They wanted her to experience seeing a live ultrasound once the baby was more active instead of just the small flutters Olivia only seemed to be able to feel now.

"Did you want to use the bathroom before we go in?"

"No, I'm fine. Make sure your phone is on silent this time. Especially your work phone."

"Yes ma'am." Fitz spoke, wondering why she always told him that. It was one time with Elijah that his phone constantly went off, and she would never let him live it down. "Mom said she'd keep the kids through dinner and get them fed and bathed if we want to go out and do something afterwards. What do you say?"

"That's fine."

She was being very short and Fitz wasn't sure what had happened. They had left his mom with her car and they had drove together to the doctors with her being as chatty as ever. It wasn't until they sat down that she had gone quiet. Fitz knew his wife, and grilling her at this moment would leave him probably spending fifteen minutes at her side of the bed begging to let him hold her. She was vengeful and if there was one way to get in a dig at Fitz, it was to deny him the honor of holding his wife as they fell asleep. They eventually would roll over and out of each other's arms- skin still touching in some fashion- but the holding before they succumbed was necessary.

"Olivia Grant"

Everything was great. Their baby was measuring great, Olivia's blood pressure was a little elevated at the moment, but so was her heart rate. She didn't deny Fitz holding her hand tightly as their baby moved about inside of her with them watching on the screen.

"Alright, so are you guys about ready to find out if this Grant baby is a Mr. or Missus?"

Fitz's face lit up before looking at Olivia and frowning. Her face didn't show joy. It didn't show excitement. It showed nothing that would let Fitz know that this was an exciting and joyful day for their family. Instead she looked terrified.

Fitz looked up at the doctor almost as though she should have the answers. She excused herself and told Fitz she would be back in a moment before turning the screen off and walking out.

"Baby, what is it? What's going on, Livvie?"

"I don't want to know."

"What? You don't want to know the sex?" This was new. They'd never talked about not finding out.

Olivia tried to calm her breathing and stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks but there was no need to. She wouldn't be able to stop the emotions that had been brewing inside of her all day. She was great at pushing them aside until they stepped foot into the waiting room and the anxiety set in.

"Livvie, I need you to talk to me. Whatever it is, you take a deep breath, calm down and talk to me. We don't do this. We don't hide, we talk it out. Talk to me."

Olivia knew he was right. She also knew that had the roles been reversed, she would have chewed him out by now. She sat up further and used her sleeves to wipe at her tears.

"I don't want to find out the sex."

"Ok" Fitz began, taking a deep breath. "I will do whatever you want Livvie, but can you tell me what made you change your mind?"

"I was just thinking… Toots wants a sister so bad and you promised her one and I want to give her one, but what if…"

"Liv, it's okay if it's a boy. I don't want you to worry about that. If we have another son, we will love him just like we love FJ and Mads will too. You don't have to worry about that." He smoothed his hand over the top of her head and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"No. I'm not afraid that it's a boy. In fact I'm terrified that it's a girl."

"Why?"

"If we give her a sister, then we might as well be done having kids and I can't say I want to be done after this one."

Fitz looked at Olivia as though she had grown two heads. His wife was almost halfway through her pregnancy and she was crying on an examination table about wanting to have more kids. Before she gave birth to this child. It had to be the hormones. It just didn't make sense.

"Baby, I promise you, if this little…..jellybean in here turns out to be a girl, I'm still going to do my best to get you pregnant as soon as you allow me."

She couldn't help but laugh at that. He was hell bent on keeping her pregnant throughout their entire marriage. And she loved him for it.

"So even if it is a girl, we can still have another baby if I want to?"

It was Fitz's turn to laugh at her now. She was a hormonal mess and although he barely understood her most of the time lately, he wouldn't trade it for the world.

"If this Jellybean is a girl, when she turns eighteen months, I will be sure to knock you up."

A snort escaped her and she threw her arms around his neck before pecking his lips lightly.

"Jellybean?"

"It works." He shrugged. "We had a Smudgers and now we have a Jellybean."

"I like the sound of that. Our little Jellybean."

It was a minute later that a light knock sounded and Olivia's doctor poked her head inside. Once they invited her inside, she placed fresh gloves back over her hands and picked up her wand.

"So, are we finding out who's in there today?"

Olivia and Fitz looked at each other and smiled before turning to their doctor, Fitz deciding to answer her question.

"I think we're gonna stick with just having a Jellybean this time."

* * *

**SOOOOOOOO….. a timejump! What did you guys think of that? I hope you like it and will continue on this journey for just a few more chapters of this story. I know it was a short one, but I wanted to get this out there. Can't wait to hear your thoughts! Thank you!**


	28. Chapter 27

_Piece by piece I fell far from the tree  
I will never leave her like you left me  
And she will never have to wonder her worth  
Because unlike you I'm going to put her first  
And you know,  
He'll never walk away,  
He'll never break her heart  
He'll take care of things,  
He'll love her  
And piece by piece he'll restore my faith  
That a man can be kind and a father should be great_

_**Piece by Piece- Kelly Clarkson**_

* * *

Madison did her best to stay in line with her class as they walked from their classroom to the cafeteria. She used the tips of her toes to walk, proving that this was one of her favorite times of the school day. Next to art and recees, Madison loved eating and talking freely with her class before going to see her mother for her breathing treatment. She felt very lucky that fifteen minutes of her day was spent alone with her mother and they were able to joke and bond together. As they walked into the cafeteria, she swung her lunchbox a little too hard and hit the person in front of her by accident.

"Sorry Taylor!" She whispered. A single finger was still covering her lips as they walked and her friend smiled in acceptance of her apology.

When they got to their assigned table, a third of the class went to line up for the school lunch line, while the remainder of the class sat down with their lunch boxes. Madison knew who to sit by in class that usually never had peanut butter and the teachers with lunch duties always double checked her specific table. It was specified that you couldn't sit there if you had peanuts or peanut butter.

"Madison, what did you bring for lunch?" Lin asked her as he opened his. They still traded snacks often.

"Ummm sandwich, fruit snacks, blueberries, carrot sticks with blue cheese and Daddy put a chocolate kiss in here too!" She said with an extra large smile, immediately opening the chocolate and eating it first.

"Wanna trade me fruit snacks? Mom brought the red kind again that you like."

Madison peeked into his bag and nodded her head before handing him her Welchs fruit snacks.

They began eating and a few of Madison's classmates came out of the lunch line and sat down.

"Jessie, less talking and more eating today, okay?" A teacher warned.

"Sure." Jessie replied before leaning his head down and talking to the table. "Guess what I'm doing today after school?"

"What" a few kids replied, all eyes immediately on him. Jessie always had the best stories.

"Picking up my new dog!"

"Nice!"

"What kind of dog?"

"Is it a boy dog or girl dog?"

"Don't you already have a dog?"

"Are you going to the pet store?"

"Wait, too many questions" Jessie said dramatically. He took a bite out of his sandwich before speaking. "It's a mutt, that means he had a lot of different types of dogs in him and we don't know which ones. And he's a boy dog named Hobbs and he's gonna be my third dog I have! But this time he's my dog. My brother and sister already got a dog when they went to second grade so I get a dog now."

"Can I come to your house and see him?"

"Sure" he said shrugging.

"What pet store did you go to? Do they have anymore mutt dogs?" A little boy named Kieran asked.

"No! Going to a pet store is bad. You gotta adopt not shop for animals."

"What does that even mean?" Lin asked.

"You should only adopt your pets in the adoption and not just buy them."

"Adoption?" Madison finally spoke up after hearing that word. It was very familiar to her but she hadn't heard it in so long.

"Yep."

"What does adoption mean?" Kieran asked.

"It means that you don't pay money for the dog at the store but you go to a place and they have lots of dogs that people throw away and don't want anymore and so to be nice you gotta adopt them and take them home with you."

"Then they get to be in your family?"

Jessie was getting annoyed with every question Kieran asked now. He just wanted to eat his food.

"Yesssssss" he drawled out exhaustedly. "They don't have a Mom or Dad or any family so you gotta adopt them and have them be your family."

Mrs. Ray, the teacher who had been keeping an eye and ear on the table moved closer and joined the conversation.

"Did you guys know that people can be adopted too?"

"How?" Lin asked?

"That's not true!" Jessie countered with a mouth full of half chewed food. "People have moms and dads so they can't go to a shelter and be adopted."

"Well not all people. Not all kids have families so they get adopted."

"Well if they don't have a family already then how did they get here?" A shy little girl named Caroline spoke up.

"Well sometimes people have a baby and they can't take care of them ..."

"Or they don't want to so they give them away like a dog!" Jessie finished, proud of himself.

"Well, kind of but they'll take them to a safe place and the kids stay with other people until they can be adopted."

Madison refused to look up at anyone. She wasn't sure what she was feeling but her stomach began to hurt and she knew she couldn't eat anything else. The only thing she knew is that she wasn't happy anymore.

"Well if your family takes you someplace because they don't want you, you must be a bad baby! My sister is so bad I think my mom and dad might take her to get an adoption family too."

"Alright Jessie, that's enough." She turned to her entire area she was watching after glancing at the time. "Alright class, red zone. No talking for the next five minutes please. Let's finish lunch so you can go to recess. Madison finish up so you can head to your moms class."

Madison nodded her head and continued eating. Although she was quiet, her mind was working overtime sorting out everything she'd just heard and accommodating that to her previous knowledge. The knowledge she had of adoption, which was very vague, didn't work with the new information she'd just processed and it would take some time for the accommodation to fully complete. Madison knew she needed it to be further explained to her, but at the same time, she was not able to even process what she already knew.

Madison walked down the hall and into her mother's classroom. Her breathing machine was already set up and Olivia was standing at the board with a spoon of Nutella in her mouth as she wrote down math problems.

"Hi baby. How was your lunch?"

Madison moved to stand beside her mother and wrapped her arm around her waist before burying her face in her side. This was strange behavior coming from her daughter, and Olivia put the dry erase marker down and wrapped her free hand around Madison's back. She walked the two of them over to her desk chair and dropped the spoon into the jar before lifting the growing child into her lap.

"Toots, what's going on? Did something happen at lunch?"

Madison didn't speak a word and Olivia was about be more firm with her when the little girl's shoulder began to shake and her cries echoed in the classroom.

"Oh no, baby what's wrong? Whatever happened you can tell me and it'll be okay."

Madison didn't respond but continued to cry. She wrapped her hands around Olivia's neck and squeezed tightly. Olivia would feel her own tears begin to build at her daughter being so upset that she couldn't verbally express herself.

"What do you want me to do, Toots? What can Mommy do to help?"

She shook her head 'no' and Olivia continued to rub her back as her sobs gradually slowed down.

"Is there anything I can do right now?"

No again.

"How about we call Daddy and talk to him for a minute."

Her head began to shake 'no' vigorously, making Olivia become extremely concerned. Madison loved her mother to death and would always have a deep, special bond with her, but it was no secret that she was a Daddy's girl and in her eyes, Daddy always made it better. Olivia at least wanted to know that no one had done anything to really harm her child and lifted her up so that she could see her eyes.

"Madison you don't have to tell me what happened if you're not ready, but you do have to tell me if someone hurt you or did anything to make you afraid and uncomfortable. Do you remember when me, you and daddy talked to your doctor about private areas and safe touch?"

She nodded her head remembering how important her parents said that talk was.

"Good, now I need to know did anyone touch you in any of your private areas?"

"No."

"Are you sure? Because you can tell me sweetie. No matter what."

"Nobody touched me."

"Did any grown up do anything to you?"

She shook her head 'no."

"Okay, did someone do something to you or say something to you?"

Madison fidgeted after hearing the question and Olivia assumed someone said something to her daughter.

"They said something to me."

"Ok. Was it anything to do with your skin color?" Olivia asked cautiously.

They'd already been down this road at the beginning of the school year after a little boy asked Madison questions about her skin not being the same color as anyone else in the classroom. She was described and referred to as "A light black girl" and the words sent the little girl into a mess of tears. She had immediately taken off out of the classroom and ran down the hall to Olivia's classroom. To say Olivia was shocked was an understatement as the little girl ran into her arms crying and refusing to let go of her. Later that night after explaining the incident at school, Fitz flew into a rage and Olivia had to force him to stay calm as she explained that the little boy was not being a racists towards their daughter. Needless to say, it had already been a wild start of second grade for Madison.

"No."

"So no one touched you or said anything to you that hurt your feelings about your skin? Whatever happened, do you want to talk about it now?"

She shook her head 'no' before reaching for a Kleenex from Olivia's desk and wiping her face and nose.

"I don't wanna talk about it now."

"Ok so do you just want to stay inside today with me? Or do you wanna take your treatment then go out with your friends?"

Olivia knew not to push her. Madison was too much like her when it came to her feelings and emotions. While Fitz would want to talk things out immediately, she would rather keep to herself and sort things out until she understood them, then speak about them. It was the processing that could take forever, but would be worth it in the end.

"I just wanna stay here with you." She suddenly became snuggly and turned into Olivia's chest before resting her hand flat against her round stomach.

"Ok. Let me finish writing this stuff out and you can take your treatment then we can snuggle."

Olivia moved Madison from her lap and finished writing out the problems she wanted her students to practice on after recess. Madison had placed the mask over her face and turned the machine on, watching her mother like a hawk.

When it was time to go back to her class, Olivia made sure to ask her teacher if anything had happened before lunch and then she asked the teacher on lunch duty but no one said anything was out of the ordinary. Madison was sent to Olivia's classroom as usual when it was time to be dismissed and once her students were taken to the carpool and walkers area, Olivia cleaned up a few things on her desk and gathered her things to leave.

Walking down the hall, Olivia poked her head into Madison's classroom and saw that her teacher was still inside. Olivia gave a small knock against the wooden door to get her attention.

"Anything?" She asked referring to Madison's odd behavior.

She shook her head and sent Olivia an apologetic look. "I've never seen her so quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary happened so I really don't know what to say."

She spoke quietly knowing Madison was near Olivia.

"I'll let you know if I get through to her."

Olivia and Madison made their way through town and pulled into the parking lot of Apple Creek.

"Well if it isn't my favorite second grader!" Quinn spoke the second she saw Madison walking into the front office. She moved towards Olivia and pulled her in for a hug before doing the same to Madison.

"What's wrong girly?" Quinn asked, now eyeing Olivia.

Olivia shrugged and continued to fill in the sign out form.

"So I picked the dresses last night, finally!"

"And you're sure? You're not gonna change your mind for the thousandth time?"

"Nope. It's final. So final I ordered Madison's flower girl dress last night to just force myself not to change my mind. If I change you guys' dresses, I'll have to let her purchased dress go to waste."

"Wow. Okay well let me know how much I owe you for her dress and I'll go get fitted for mine this weekend."

"Thanks Liv. I still find it surreal that I'm getting married."

"It's pretty great. I just still can't get over the fact that you're marrying Charlie. For the last six months you swore up and down you guys were just friends. Plus the conflict of interest. It's kinda frowned upon to be dating one of your teachers, Ms. Assistant Director."

Quinn blushed and brought her hand up to her chest. "That title will never get old." She loved the promotion she had received just a month ago to assistant director. She had applied for the position but was unsure if she would be chosen.

"It still freaks me out but the board already knows he's moving to the high school down on Hillcrest after winter break so no harm, no foul. I have no clue why he's excited about working with teenagers, but he's got a thing about history that's so nerdy and sexy at the same time."

"Yea I definitely did not want to hear that." Olivia began shaking her head. "Let me go pick up my son and get out of here."

Olivia left Madison up front with Quinn and went to Elijah's classroom. He was one of the last kids there and when he saw her, he broke out into a run.

"Momma! You here to go home!"

He launched himself into her arms and Olivia hugged him back tightly, loving her daily greeting from her little boy.

"I did come to take you home." She understood the meaning of his excited phrase.

"Let's go your car."

"Okay, but is there something you want to say to Ms. Ruby?"

"Bye bye!"

He turned away from her and clung to Olivia before pointing towards the exit. When Olivia made her way back into the office, she gestured for Madison to join her and the three of them moved to say goodbye to Quinn who was finishing up with a parent.

"Just saying bye." Olivia said to her when she moved to stand by her. Quinn rubbed a hand up and down Elijah's back before the little boy buried his face into Olivia's shoulder.

"Oh that's how it is now? You weren't so shy stealing my cheese sticks and pepperoni at lunch time now were you?"

"You act like I don't pack enough food for his greedy self. You spoil him too much."

"Yea yea." Quinn leaned closer to Olivia before gesturing with her head to Madison. "What's going on with her today? She's quiet and looks so sad."

"That's what I'm hoping to figure out when we get home. She's been like this since lunch from what I know."

Quinn sent a sympathetic look to Olivia and they said their goodbyes before going on our way.

* * *

"I wanna 'nack!"

Those were always the first words that came out of Elijah's mouth when they arrived home. He usually would be yelling it in the car, but today he waited until they pulled into the driveway. They waited as the large door moved up and were shocked at what they saw.

"Daddy car! Daddy car!"

"Wow, Daddy beat us home!" Olivia said surprised. That usually didn't happen.

"Get out, get out!" Elijah kicked his feet windy and pulled at the restraints excitedly. "Take off, Maa'sin"

Madison looked over at him and cracked a small smile before unbuckling her own seatbelt and reaching to unbuckle her little brother. She knew she was allowed since they were in their driveway.

When the door was fully up, Olivia slowly pulled in as Elijah climbed onto the middle console. She shifted the gear into park as quickly as possible and took out the keys so her little boy wouldn't get any ideas.

"Uh oh. Let me have it, big guy!"

Olivia let Elijah down to the ground before the little boy squeezed passed the door and was lifted into Fitz's arms. He hugged him tightly around the neck before pulling back and kissing him.

"I wanna 'nack, Daddy!"

"Oh, you want a nack for your belly? Huh? Does your belly need a nack?" Fitz said poking at his stomach and mimicking him. Fitz kissed his cheek before sitting him down. "There's a snack on the table for you."

He took off running the second he was down, yelling "down" at Scooter as the dog jumped and chased him.

"Hi Best Girl." Fitz said greeting Madison as she slid out of the car and shut the door. She didn't respond to Fitz's term of endearment and ended up moving under his outstretched arms and running into the house. Fitz looked up at Olivia confused and she climbed out of the car and grabbed her bag. She closed the door and went into his open arms once he grabbed her bag from her.

"I don't know what's going on with her today, but something happened at lunch that upset her."

"Something like what? Did she get in trouble with her teachers or was someone mean to her?" This wasn't like his daughter at all, especially the fact that she ignored him altogether.

"Babe all I know is that she came in for her treatment and before I could barely get out a 'hello', she was in my arms bawling her eyes out. She wouldn't say what was wrong with her no matter what I asked her."

"Did you ask her if someone did something…"

"Of course I asked her that. She said no one did anything she didn't want them to and no one touched her private areas or anything and I stared her down. She's not lying I just don't know what happened. Her teacher said nothing happened in class but she was the same way after she went back to class. She didn't go to recess and the lunch teacher said nothing happened there. The kids were just talking as usual and she was a bit quiet."

Fitz sighed and rubbed his hand slowly over Olivia's protruding stomach for a few moments, calming himself and his wife.

"I wish you would've called me to talk to her, Livvie."

Olivia stopped his hand from moving and intertwined her fingers with his, debating on whether to tell him that she had suggested it to Madison. Him learning that their little girl rejected the chance to talk with him would break his heart completely and as much as she didn't want to do that to him, she didn't want to lie about it.

"I asked her if she wanted me to call you and she said no."

"She said no?"

Olivia sighed and pulled him into the laundry room before closing both doors leading to the garage and living room.

"She just shook her head vigorously and I'm not sure why. It's not like her and she said she didn't want to talk about it now, so I decided to not push her because I didn't want her to shut down."

"I get it."

Fitz removed himself from the room and walked into the kitchen to begin unpacking Olivia's lunch bag. He had already started on dinner and checked on the leftover lasagna in the oven, then went to the table with Elijah.

Olivia focused on making herself a large cup of ice water knowing Fitz needed time to himself. It wasn't that his ego was hurt, by his heart was hurt. Madison meant the world to him and if Olivia was honest with herself, there were days she had to silently convince herself that he didn't love their daughter more than he loved her and their son. She knew it wasn't true, they just had a different type of love and it was because he didn't have to love Madison, but chose to anyway. His heart knew no bounds when it came to the little girl and knowing she didn't want him to try and make something better for her, broke him. He felt like he wasn't good enough in her eyes for the first time in his life.

"You wanna go play soccer?" Fitz asked Elijah, wiping his fingers free of strawberries and Nutella. Fitz must have been in a great mood to have fed the little one chocolate for a snack.

"Yea!" He pushed himself back from the table and climbed out of the chair before running to the back door. Fitz stood and unmatched the lock that was near the very top of the door and set Elijah loose. Fitz stepped one foot out of the door and felt a small hand on his bicep, holding him back. He turned and noticed Olivia's large eyes staring back at him.

"Don't be scared to talk to her. She's seven, she doesn't get to wallow and be upset for this long without us both grilling her. She won't talk to me face to face but maybe she'll talk to you about it."

"Obviously she doesn't.."

"Stop. That was me trying to call you on the phone. Don't be a pussy, give her some time to cool off then go talk to her."

Fitz chuckled at her use of the vile word and turned at the sound of Elijah screaming loudly. Realizing that it was a shout of joy, Fitz turned back around and leaned forward to kiss Olivia's lips chastely before going out into the backyard.

"Oh," she began stopping him. "Your parents are gonna come by for dinner now that they're settled in."

"Good, the kids missed them like crazy. Maybe that'll help as well."

"I'm glad they got to go stay with Sarah though. They needed some bonding time with those grands and I think it might help take her mind off whatever's going on with her."

* * *

Dinner had been eventful. Elijah was constantly in his grandfather's lap, doing his best to get away with any and everything he could. Fitz had decided to grill out in the back since they wouldn't have too many days that the weather would permit it, and the hot dogs and grilled chicken were consumed by everyone. Catherine had been shocked to see how much Olivia had grown in the span of a week and a half and Gerry was constantly chastising them for not finding out the sex of the baby.

"I just think we could prepare better if we knew if it was a boy or girl."

Olivia laughed and shook her head at him. He was very convincing throughout dinner and even more now as Fitz and Catherine sliced up and handed out the pie she'd brought.

"Well we have everything left over from FJ so if it's a boy everything will be fine, but if it's a girl, a night or two sleeping in a room decorated for a boy won't do any harm. Besides the baby will be in our room for the first few months and by then everything we need will be in place and that's that. It's really not a big deal, Dad" Olivia spoke, laughing when he grumbled in response.

"Either way, he or she will be desperately loved and cared for just like the rest." Catherine began. "I'll never forget the moment this big boy was born. All those curls and those thick little legs!"

"I honestly thought he was going to kill me." Olivia brought her hands to the side of her face and grimaced at the memory of birthing her first Grant baby. Madison was snuggled into her side and had clung to Olivia he majority of the night, being completely nonchalant with her grandparents and father.

"I told you Grant's are big babies."

"Was I a big Grant baby too?"

Everyone froze at Madison's words. Catherine and Jerry were unsure how to respond and planned to take cues from Olivia and Fitz. Fitz's eyes connected with Olivia's knowing that Madison had avoided him all night and that she should probably answer.

"You were a tiny baby. Your brother was a lot bigger than you when he was born." Olivia answered before leaning down to kiss her head.

"Can I see my baby pictures?"

Olivia froze and immediately looked to Fitz for help. It was no secret that there weren't a ton of pictures of Madison as a baby- not like there were of Elijah. Olivia wasn't able to do a newborn shoot of her little girl and their family like she had done with her son. The first year of her life was documented through phone pictures and random photos that Abby had taken every chance she got. The pictures she had of Madison as an infant weren't blown up and placed around the house, instead there were more pictures of her as a toddler and older than any other age.

"We're gonna have to get a lot of your baby pictures from Aunt Abby because I promise you she has the most."

Madison wasn't happy with the answer and it showed. Her brows furrowed and Olivia and Fitz watched her closely as tears filled her eyes.

"There's never any pictures of me as a baby."

"Baby, it's okay."

She broke down at that moment. Nothing felt okay to Madison and she had held in her tears for as long as she could manage. Olivia pulled her closer to her chest but the little girl fought against her mother and pushed her away. Her sobs grew louder and Jerry and Catherine grabbed a hold of Elijah and went to give him a bath, excusing themselves to give Olivia and Fitz privacy with Madison. They had never seen the little girl act in such a way and knew Olivia and Fitz wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"Mads, baby what's going on?"

She still refused to look at Fitz and stilled before turning and burying her face into the couch cushion.

Fitz decided he had enough. Regardless of what was going on with Madison, he wouldn't go another minute with his own daughter giving him the silent testament. He grabbed Madison under her arms and lifted the little girl into his arms and against his chest. He noticed that although she began to cry louder, her little arms immediately went around his neck and she squeezed him back tightly.

"Daddy!" She wailed, choking on a sob and coughing into Fitz's neck.

Both Fitz and Olivia's heart broke seeing their daughter so broken up over something they were completely in the dark about. Olivia stood up from the couch and began to rub Madison's back while Fitz kissed her forehead; the both of them hoping to calm her.

"Mads I need you to talk to me, baby girl. Neither mommy or I can help you if we don't know what's wrong. Do you understand that? I can't help you baby girl if I don't know what's upsetting you."

Fitz felt her head nod against his neck and he moved to sit down on the couch and Olivia resumed her position next to him. Fitz turned Madison around in his lap, but even once she was facing outward, she turned and buried her face against his chest and clutched tightly to his shirt.

"Toots, what happened at school?"

She began to mumble and Fitz moved her head just an inch away from his chest.

"Say it again baby." Fitz encouraged.

"Jessie got a new dog."

Fitz glanced at Olivia having no clue what she was talking about.

"Ok. Is that what upset you?" Olivia spoke ignoring Fitz. If that's what Madison began with, then it was for a reason.

"He said it at lunch and said the dog didn't come from the store."

"Ok. Then what happened?"

"He said it's bad to buy dogs from stores and he said that some dogs get thrown away and no one loves them or wants to take care of them anymore... And ... And th..."

"And what Mads."

Fitz wasn't sure where she was going with this but deep down Olivia felt she knew the words that would escape her daughter's lips.

"They get an adoption like I had to from Daddy."

Her tears began flowing once again and Fitz did his best to hold his sadness and anger in at his daughters pain. He kissed her head and leaned his head against hers. Fitz stared at Olivia and reached out for her to intertwine their fingers together.

"How come I had to have a adoption too? Did I get thrown away?"

"Baby no! That is not why you were adopted." Olivia strained.

"They didn't love me though so I got adopted." Her words were angry and filled with betrayal.

Olivia took a deep breath. She knew she would have to explain certain things to their daughter in a way she'd understand. Olivia knew this day would come and had already prepared herself for the day, however in her mind, the day would not come so soon. Olivia reached for Madison and lifted her under the arms before moving her to her own lap. She wanted to touch her daughter and provide her warm hand of comfort as she spoke to her deep truths that would take away some of her innocence.

When Olivia noticed that Fitz was about to speak up, she squeezed his hand and shook her head. As much as she knew her husband wanted to reassure their daughter of her place in his heart, Olivia felt as though it was her place to address the issue first. It was Olivia that never allowed her daughter closure from her past and all she'd experienced. Olivia knew children were resilient but she could admit that they swept many things under the rug and now they were causing confusion in her daughter's heart. The last thing she wanted was for Madison to be questioning her existence and purpose in their family.

"Toots, who's your Mommy?"

Madison leaned her head back against Olivia's chest and muttered "you are".

"Yes I am, and I love you so much. You are the first person I ever truly fell in love with."

"Was I a baby?"

"You were. But even before then, when you were in my stomach, I was so in love with you."

Madison sent a small smile to her other and Olivia took a deep breath, before reconnecting her fingers with Fitz's.

"Who's your Daddy?"

Madison became quiet but slowly extended her sock clad foot towards Fitz and rested her ankle on his knee. It warmed Fitz's heart when he tickled her foot and she smiled at him. All he wanted was for her to be smiling again and not avoiding him.

"That's right. Fitz is your daddy and he loves you so much." Olivia took another deep breath. She knew she was about to broach a subject that could make their night worse off than it began. "Madison, do you remember Jake?"

Madison's eyes darted to Olivia's immediately and her brows rose as the pieces began to come together.

_Jake slammed the phone down before he jogged out to where his secretary was holding Madison who was screaming and holding her arm close to her chest._

"_It's like fucking déjà vu with her. Madison, you're fine ok. Stop crying." He grabbed her from the woman and attempted to calm her down, but the loud screams she was producing made him want to throw her against the nearest wall just to shut her up. _

"_I want my mommy" she wailed, kicking her legs against him_.

She nodded her head and Fitz noticed the small tears that slipped from the corner of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"What are you thinking, baby?"

Fitz moved closer to kneel in front of the two of them. When Madison made eye contact with him, Fitz reached up and wiped the streak of tears with the pad of his thumbs. He never wanted to see her cry. Madison moved to lean her head against one of his hands, and Fitz cupped her cheek, happy that she was accepting that comfort from him. He didn't want her to shut him out again.

"He was my old daddy and he was really mean to me and didn't love me."

Olivia nodded her head and fought back the lump in her throat. The truth always hurt and coming from her daughter's lips made it cut even deeper.

"I know sweetie, and I'm so sorry that I put you through that. He didn't deserve you and he was not very nice and I'm sorry for all the times he hurt you."

"I had to go to the hospital when I was little."

"Do you remember a lot from when you were little and with him?" Fitz asked, grabbing her free hand in his.

"I think I do. He yelled and said curse words a lot to me."

"I never wanted you to be hurt by him baby and I'm sorry that you were."

"How come you have to have a adoption when your family doesn't want you anymore? Why didn't he want me?"

Her bottom lip trembled and it was at this moment that Olivia and Fitz realized how much Madison was growing up. She was questioning her self worth in someone else's eyes and was understanding that people will hurt you whether you deserved it or not.

"Jake was a very unhappy person and he wanted other people to be unhappy too so he tried to hurt everything and everyone even if they didn't deserve it. Jake wasn't a nice person and I tried my best to make sure we never had to be around him again and since he didn't deserve to love you and be your Daddy I found someone else that I loved and that loved you and I had to see if he would be your daddy."

"Did you want to be my Daddy?" Madison asked Fitz, understanding the logic behind Olivia's words.

Fitz sat down on the couch and held his breath as he opened his arms up to Madison. He wasn't sure if she would allow him to hold her, but he had to try.

Madison didn't respond right away and Fitz lowered his hands, not wanting to pressure her into sitting with him. His daughter wanted answers and he could respect that.

"Since the moment your Mommy let me meet you, I wanted to be your Daddy. I'll never forget the first time Mommy let me spend time with you."

* * *

_"It's gonna be fun, okay? He's really nice. Do you remember what I said his name is?"_

_Madison looked up at Olivia and brought a small chunk of hair into her mouth before responding. "Fence"_

_Olivia laughed a little on the inside. It was kind of cute, but Olivia hoped Fitz would be okay with it. That was how she pronounced it yesterday as well when Olivia brought up meeting Fitz. Olivia grabbed a hold of the hair and removed it from her mouth before bending down to her level._

_"Yes that's right. Are you still a little nervous or are you excited a little bit?"_

_Madison shrugged her shoulders unsure of how she should feel._

_"Can I play put golf with you?"_

_"Well we're all gonna play together, Toots. We will be on the same team together and just have fun."_

_"Does he have any kids like me?"_

_"No he doesn't have any kids."_

_"Is he like Daddy?"_

_Olivia swallowed a few times before speaking, hoping to keep the bile that had risen in her throat, down._

_"No baby. He's not like Daddy at all. Fitz is really nice to me and he's my good friend so I wanted you to meet him."_

_"Will he like me?"_

_"I think he will like you a lot, a lot, baby girl."_

_Madison sat quietly for a few second before she turned to look at Olivia with an inquisitive look on her face._

_"Is he kinda like a Daddy?"_

_Olivia thought about the question and as new as their relationship was, she knew what her heart was leaning towards, but she didn't want to give her daughter an answer to such a serious question. _

_"I don't know baby."_

_That was all Olivia could give her at the moment. It was seconds later that Olivia felt a pull and looked up to see Fitz walking towards them in long strides. One of his hands was behind his back and Olivia wondered what he was hiding._

_Olivia stood up the second he was in front of them and he greeted her by reaching out his hand for hers and kissing her knuckles. He had texted Olivia more times than she could count with anxious questions about meeting her daughter._

_Should he kiss her in front of Madison or wait until she was distracted?_

_What if she didn't speak to him at all?_

_What if he won by accident and didn't let Madison win?_

_Was this even a good idea or was it really too soon?_

_"Hi."_

_"Hi." Olivia responded before lifting Madison onto her hip and the little girl laid her head on her mother's shoulder while staring at Fitz._

_"Toots, this is Fitz... Fitz this is my Madison. Can you say hi, Toots?"_

_Madison shook her head, but sent a small wave regardless_

* * *

"You didn't want me to really talk to you and I knew it was because you didn't trust me yet, but I promised you that I was nice and that I wouldn't hurt you and that I would only play with you and your mom if you said it was okay."

* * *

_"Hi Madison, is it okay that I hang with you and your Mom today?"_

_She nodded her head and Fitz smiled at her._

_"Is it okay if I call you Mads?"_

_She looked up at him then, and then to Olivia before she cracked a small smile and shrugged her shoulders_

_"I dunno."_

_"Well I'll try it out a few times, okay Mads? What do you think, Mads? I think I like saying Mads a lot."_

_She let out a small smile at him repeating her name and seconds later he pulled a small bunch of sunflowers from behind his back and presented it to Madison._

_"So Mads, I got you these. I hope you like them."_

_"It's a sunflower!" Her eyes lit up and her head was off of Olivia's shoulder and reaching for the flowers."_

_"Yep, do you like them? I thought maybe we could put one in your hair and we could carry the rest."_

_Madison looked at Olivia, her face proving that she liked the idea._

_"Can I mommy?"_

_Olivia nodded and stood Madison on her own two feet before she broke off a small flower and stuck it deep in her curls._

_Fitz smiled before breaking off another and stuffing into Olivia's curls, just above her ear. Olivia grabbed a hold of Madison's hand and the little girl looked to her right to see Fitz holding out his hand to her. Seeing her hesitation, Fitz leaned down in front of her and waited for her eyes to lock with his._

_"I promise we will have a lot of fun and that I'll be really nice to you and your mom."_

_"You will?"_

_"I promise. I'll always be only nice to you."_

_Madison eyed Fitz for a few more seconds before her little hand reached out for his in acceptance._

* * *

"There were so many times that I was terrified that you didn't want me to be your daddy and I was so afraid that you would tell me no.

Olivia smiled and grabbed a hold of Madison's hand. "Do you remember when you asked him to be your Daddy?"

"No. How did I do it?"

There was a small sparkle in her eye as she asked the question and both Fitz and Olivia held their breath when Madison moved to climb into Fitz's lap.

"_When we move into the new house can you be the new daddy, Fence?"_

_Squeezing her tightly to his body, Fitz left kisses on her cheek and forehead, repeating the actions until the lump in his throat cleared. "Yes, baby. I want to be the daddy for sure. And you know what, I'm gonna be the best daddy in the world for you"_

"_Can your name be daddy now?" her face was pressed against his neck, but she leaned back to look at him before asking that question and he toughened up, making sure not to break down. These were the moments he had been hoping and dreaming of. _

Madison was now burrowed into Fitz's chest as they reminded her of their trip to New York and Madison being so open with what she wanted from Fitz. Fitz kissed her forehead and turned her around so that she was completely facing him and looking into his eyes.

"I think the best thing about being adopted is that when you're adopted, your parent or parents get to choose you. We get to choose to love you. All I've ever wanted to do for so long was love you and have you as my daughter." Fitz stared at her, watching tears fill her eyes and spill down her cheeks, as his own tears appeared in the same fashion. "You let me have that, Best Girl and being your dad has been the best gift I could've ever asked for."

Madison's arms were around Fitz's neck and they both cried, thinking of how lucky they were to have each other. Fitz knew having Madison become his daughter was in the top two best moments of his life; moments that he would never forget. Madison chose Fitz to be her Daddy and nothing would ever change that.

* * *

It was hours later that both grandparents had left, Elijah was tucked into bed and Madison sat on the large king sized bed between her parents. They were snuggled together and staring at pictures of Madison they had in the house. She had stayed in Fitz's lap the remainder of the evening after their talk and it was Olivia's idea to snuggle in bed and look at the pictures. When they got to the pictures that begin to include Fitz, Madison began to ask questions about the days they were taken.

"What is this one?"

Olivia looked at Fitz and laughed, knowing exactly what the picture was of.

"Oh your Daddy took that one."

"But it's just a dirty kitchen!" Madison laughed, looking up at Fitz."

"Yea, but that dirty kitchen was proof of our very first Saturday tradition."

"Our Donies with Daddy!" Madison said knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"_Alright Mads do you know what a tradition is?"_

"_A shadition?"_

"_Tra-dition. That's when you do something not all of the time but on special days kind of like a birthday or Christmas. But a tradition is something that we can do on our own with no one else. Just you and me"_

_Her eyes lit up at and although she didn't really understand what he was saying, she knew she could do something special with just him. _

"_You and me gonna do a tri-shan daddy?"_

_He chuckled not even wanting to correct her. He just wanted to hear her say it again. _

"_A what?" he asked. _

"_A tri-shan."_

"_Yes, Mads and daddy will have a tri-shan. What do you want to eat for breakfast? Whatever you want, me and you are gonna make it"_

_She tilted her head to the side, and tapped her finger on her chin. He knew she wasn't really thinking, but had picked up the silly habit from Abby. She eyed him to make sure he was watching and giggled when he poked at her cheek, interrupting her "thinking"_

"_I wanna eat donies!" her eyes went wide at the thought of eating donuts for breakfast._

"_Donies? That's what you want for breakfast? We can do that. So today we start our tri-shan of Donies with Daddy." He held both of his large hands in front of her and she clapped her smaller hands to his giving him a double high-five. _

"Our traditions are fun! And now we make French toast for a tradition too!"

"Yep and I loved every second of it."

"Even if it destroys my kitchen?" Olivia chimed in.

"Yep, even then." Fitz nodded his head and Madison followed his lead and nodded hers as well.

"Hey," Fitz began, grabbing Madison's attention. "I want you to promise me, promise both of us from now on when things like this are bothering you, you come to us and talk about it. No matter how scary it might seem or if you're very nervous, just know what we want you to come to us and we will all figure it out together."

"I just didn't want to make you upset." Madison defended, hanging her head down and feeling guilty.

"I will never be upset about you asking me anything about being your father and everything that comes with it. That means adoption, your last name, your old last name or anything."

"What was my old last name? I kinda remember it but not really."

Olivia decided to answer the question. "Your old last name was Ballard. Well it was Pope-Ballard, but when Daddy and I got married and he adopted you, we were able to change it to Grant."

"Did FJ have a different last name?"

"No he only had Grant because Daddy and me made him out of our love."

"Oh... But Jake was my dad because you and him made me out of your love?"

Olivia looked at Fitz knowing that wasn't entirely true. She didn't love Jake but she didn't want to get into that and confuse Madison anymore than she probably already was.

"Yea sweetie. But then Jake didn't treat you or me right so I stopped loving him and wanted to find someone better to love us and that's when I found Daddy."

"Will you ever stop loving Daddy and find a new Daddy for us?"

"Never." Olivia and Fitz answered simultaneously. "I will never stop loving your Daddy and we will always be a family, Toots. This is exactly where we all belong."

"I'm glad we found Daddy to love us and I'm glad we got to have his last name too."

"I'm glad I found you guys too." Fitz kissed her head and looked over at the alarm clock on the nightstand and noticed the time.

"Do you have any more questions, Mads?"

It was as if the question was on the tip of her tongue, and she asked it immediately.

"Where is Jake now? Did he get a new family to love?"

Olivia knew she would ask that but somehow tried to convince herself that she wouldn't.

"Jake died sweetie."

"What do you mean?"

They hadn't had any close to them pass away, so Madison honestly had never been introduced to the concept of death. Wally had died almost two years ago, but before Olivia had even made it home that day, Fitz had fed Madison a story about Wally's parents wanting him back and the little girl was as compliant as ever to reunite them. Olivia had been annoyed with him not taking that as a chance to explain it to her, but she had accepted it. Neither of them were sure they wanted to take her innocence away at this moment but knew she would find out some other way.

"Well when you die you aren't here anymore and... and you kinda of go to sleep and you never wake up."

Madison was confused and it showed on her face.

"So where do you sleep when you never wake up?"

"Baby, it's a little hard to explain really and you're so young..." Olivia tried to explain.

"We don't really want you to have to worry about what that means right now, baby girl." Fitz finished.

Madison was quiet for a moment before she looked up between the two of them with a serious look on her face.

"Will you and Mommy ever have to go to sleep and never wake up?"

"No. Never. I'm gonna be here with you and your brother and Mommy forever."

Fitz moved off the bed and held his arms open for Madison. There was no way in hell he would tell her anything different. He would always be around for his daughter and he would live by that for as long as he lived.

Madison moved from under the covers and into Fitz's arms. Fitz held her tightly, walked to Olivia's side of the bed and leaned Madison towards her mother to give her a kiss.

"Goodnight Toots. I love you. Never forget that sweet girl."

"I love you too, Mommy."

"Since we stayed up extra late past bedtime, we are gonna do our story time tomorrow night, okay?" Olivia loved reading with her daughter each night, but knew she needed to rest after such an eventful and emotional day.

Madison simply nodded her head to agree with her mother.

Fitz left the room and walked down the hall to Madison's bedroom where Scooter was lying across her bed. The dog jumped down immediately and moved to his own bed on the floor.

"Alright Mads, let's get you tucked in. You want the fan on high or low?"

"Low please!"

Fitz pulled on the ceiling fan's chain until it was on the perfect setting for his little girl.

"Alright, you want to go first or me?"

"You."

Fitz sat on the bed next to her and thought for a second before responding.

"My favorite part of the day was probably having dinner with everyone."

"Okay, my favorite part of the day was….. hmmmmm…. It was talking to you and Mommy about you always being my Daddy and giving me a adoption."

Fitz smiled and leaned his head down until he was nose to nose with Madison. She took his breath away each and every second of each and every day.

"Best Girl, being your daddy is the best part of my life."

Madison turned her head slightly to kiss Fitz's cheek before squeezing his neck tightly. Fitz and Madison said her prayers together before he turned out the light and left the room.

Fitz walked back into his bedroom and climbed into bed next to Olivia who was halfway asleep, much closer to his side of the bed. He turned on his side and wrapped his arms around Olivia, immediately kissing her lips passionately for much longer than Olivia expected.

"Mmmmm" she moaned before he pulled away. "What was that for?"

"That was a thank you."

"Oh yea? For what?" she asked smiling at him. She could tell that he was in a great mood and although she knew he expected nothing more than a few kisses before passing out, she could tell that he was one-hundred percent satisfied in this moment.

"For giving me our daughter."

"Thank you for wanting her."

* * *

**Thank you guys so much for reading. I felt it was time this subject was broached. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was the first one (I believe) that I wrote lasting over the course of one single day. Leave your thoughts. – Jen.**


	29. Chapter 28

It was nearly 10:37 am when Ms. Scott's classroom phone rang and she quieted the group of second graders down before she answered the call. She listened intently before hanging up and scanning the room until her eyes fell on Madison.

This didn't seem right. It can't be. It had to have been a big mistake, but the instructions had to be followed.

"Madison, can you go see Mrs. Thomas in the office for a minute please? Grab the hall pass sweetie."

Madison was confused as to why the principal was calling her, but did as she was told and walked towards the office. She passed her mother's room on the way but wasn't able to get her attention in the split second she stood at her classroom door. The little girl continued to walk until she reached the front office and before she got to her office, Principal Thomas was at her side and asking her to come with her into a room she had never been in before.

She obeyed and when they walked inside there was a short statured woman Madison had never seen before sitting down with a small lap top in front of her. She wore a colorful string around her neck and on the end of it, dangling in front of her chest was a badge with a star on one side and her picture on the other side. It looked like a police badge to Madison but she was still unsure of who this lady was.

"Hi, are you Madison?"

Madison nodded her head before glancing at her principal then back to the lady.

"Nice to meet you sweetie. My name is Jackie and I work for Child Protective Services. Do you know what that means?"

* * *

When Olivia's classroom phone went off while her students were present, she moved quickly to answer it so they wouldn't be disturbed during their spelling test. She picked it up and on the other line was her principal asking for her to come down to the conference room as quickly as she could. Olivia was unsure of what was going on, but asked if she could send someone from the office to look after her class and once their teacher's aide arrived, she made her way towards the front office. She rubbed her belly on the way to the office, willing the baby to relax and stop with the summersaults he or she was doing.

"Mrs. Hembree, what's going on?"

Her principal moved into the room and closed the door before she sat down in the chair next to Olivia.

"Olivia, is everything okay at home?"

Olivia looked at her wondering what she was talking about.

"Everything is fine. What is this about? Did something happen that makes you ask that?"

The brunette took a deep breath before revealing what she called her in for.

"Olivia, a CPS Investigator came here today to speak to a student?"

Olivia's heart dropped thinking about the boy from her class two years ago that had been involved with CPS.

"Was it for Josiah? They seemed to be doing so well."

"No, it wasn't for him. Things are going well, like you said."

"Did one of my students get called out during lunch or recess? I haven't noticed anything different with any of them. I'm so confused."

"They came to speak to Madison, Olivia."

Olivia felt like she had been punched in the gut. There was no way she heard her principal correctly. A worker from Child Protective Services had not come to speak to her daughter because there was no need to. Their family had nothing to hide and neither she nor her husband were abusive nor neglectful by any means.

"That doesn't make sense. Why did they speak to her? Did you pull her out of class for this?"

Olivia was getting angry now and wanted to know how her principal, her friend could let something like this actually happen.

"Olivia, you know I can't say no to CPS if they come to speak to a child. If who they're looking for is present, then I have to allow them access to that child. Per their policy, they have to contact you within twenty-four hours and let you know that your child was interviewed by them, I just wanted to give you a heads up because I'm allowed to inform parents of such things happening while the children are at school. I know you'll get to the bottom of this, just keep me informed."

"Can I leave?"

"Leave?"

"Yes, can someone cover my class so I can take Madison home and get to the bottom of this? I need to talk to my husband and I know he's gonna be livid."

"I'll have Ms. Lehman continue covering your class for the afternoon. I'm really sorry Olivia, just let me know if there's anything I can do for you."

"Thanks."

Olivia moved as quickly as her pregnant frame would allow her and went back to her class. Olivia told her students she had to go and take care of some important grown up things and collected her things before giving instructions to Ms. Lehman for the rest of the day. She exited out of her room and walked down the hall and poked her head into Madison's classroom.

"Mrs. Grant, hi." Madison's teacher greeted her before glancing at the little girl who was looking at her mother with a frightened look on her face.

"Hi, I need to get out of here early and take her with me."

"No problem, Madison go get your things together."

Olivia smiled in thanks and watched as her daughter moved timidly around the room. Madison was just as anxious and frightened as Olivia was. When Madison hoisted her backpack on and made her way to the door, Olivia held it open for her and waved goodbye to the rest of the class and teacher.

Olivia stopped Madison from walking too far ahead and bent down to engulf the little girl in a warm hug, knowing that's exactly what her daughter needed at the moment. Olivia needed it as well.

"Did someone come talk to you today in the office?"

Olivia felt Madison nod her head against her shoulder and squeezed her tighter in her arms.

"Let's go talk to your dad about it, okay? We call all talk about it together."

Madison pulled away from Olivia and nodded her head solemnly. She didn't want to be in trouble, and she was still so confused as to why that lady came to ask her such weird questions.

* * *

Olivia walked into the doctor's office holding Madison's hand behind her and smiled at their secretary.

"Hi Mrs. Grant, hi cutie, Dr. Grant didn't tell me he was expecting you two today."

"He wasn't, but I needed to see him. Is he with patients right now?"

"Yes, he's got one now, but I know he won't mind you two waiting in his office until he's done."

"Thanks so much."

The latch on the door was released and Olivia and Madison walked through the door and down the hall to Fitz's office.

The two of them sat down in the couch and Olivia handed Madison her phone to play a few games while they waited. The last thing she wanted was for her little girl to be constantly thinking about what had taken place just under an hour ago. Nearly ten minutes later, they could hear Fitz's voice as he neared his office, and he was giving instructions to one of the nurses before he finished and opened his office door.

"Well this is a surprise." He immediately glanced at his watch for the time and frowned noticing that school wasn't quite out for the two of his girls, yet here they were. "Hi my two favorite girls."

Madison dropped the phone in Olivia's lap and ran to hug her father around his waist tightly.

"Is everything okay?" Fitz asked looking at Olivia's face. He grabbed Madison under the arms and lifted her onto his hip. She continued to bury her face in his neck and Fitz began to worry about what this out of the blue visit was really for.

Olivia stayed on the couch and rubbed her hand against her protruding stomach. The baby was kicking and Olivia knew this was usually the time she would be pulling out a snack to hold her over until dinner time. Although the growing baby inside of her was hungry, Olivia was nauseated by the thought of eating anything right now. All Olivia needed right now was for her husband to tell her that everything would be ok. Olivia needed him to lie to her. She needed that lie because no matter what he said, she knew everything wasn't going to be okay.

"What happened?"

"My Principal called me to the office about thirty minutes ago to tell me that someone came to speak to Madison and ask her some questions."

Fitz sat down and looked confused.

"What does that even mean? Who came to talk to her at school?"

"It was CPS. Some investigator came to ask her some questions and they're supposed to notify us within twenty-four hours that they spoke with her and then they'll question us as well."

He was dumbfounded. Why the hell would Child Protective Services be investigating his family and asking his daughter questions? That made no sense. Fitz was somewhat familiar with the agency. He had a few parents in his career so far that had an open case and caseworkers would contact him out of the blue to see if he had any concerns with the child and if they were making it to appointments like they should be. But to have Family Services questioning his daughter could only mean that someone made a complaint about them. And for that, Fitz was furious.

"Baby, what did they ask you? Was it a lady or man?"

Madison turned a little in Fitz's lap so she could be heard and began answering their questions.

"It was a lady."

"What did she ask you?"

"She asked me a lot of questions."

"Like what?" Olivia urged.

Madison looked down and it was clear to both Olivia and Fitz that the questions the woman asked made Madison uncomfortable.

"Did she ask you any easy questions that didn't scare you?"

When Madison nodded, Fitz encouraged her to tell them the questions.

"She asked me who I live with and what their names were. And she asked me if I know my birthday and if I have a brother or sister."

"Okay, did she ask you anything that was scary?"

Madison nodded and after moments of convincing her that everything was okay, Olivia and Fitz got her to reveal the tougher questions she had answered.

"She asked me if I knew where my private areas are and if anyone touches me there. Then she asked me if I touch anyone in their private parts or see anyone without clothes on a video or pictures. And she asked me if my mom or dad fight or hit me and my brother."

Olivia pulled her from Fitz's lap to stand in between her legs and caressed her cheeks.

"Baby girl I know those were hard questions but I'm so proud of you. What did you tell her?"

"I told her that no one touches me there cause it's bad and I would tell you and Daddy if they did. And then I told her that FJ gets pops on his hands when he's bad and sometimes on his bottom, but I listen so I don't get pops."

"That's good baby. I'm glad you told the truth."

"How come the lady came to see me? She said she makes sure all kids are safe at home and they don't get hurt, but I'm already safe at home and nobody hurts me."

"Sometimes they just wanna check to make sure, sweetie. Did she ask you anything else?"

"She kept asking me questions about if Daddy was nice or mean to me."

Fitz could feel his anger bubbling over and tried to figure out who would call CPS on them. It had to be someone with an agenda, but he had no clue who it could be. Olivia glanced at Fitz and shook her head, letting him know that getting frustrated wouldn't change anything. He needed to stay calm because no matter what, they would soon be questioned by CPS themselves.

"Give me a minute."

Fitz spoke quietly before leaving his office and closing the door behind him.

"Is Daddy mad?"

Olivia took Madison's hands between hers and sent her the most truthful smile she could muster up.

"No sweetie. He might be upset, but it's not at you or me."

"At the lady?"

"Yea baby. We just don't understand but it's okay. When they ask us questions, we're gonna do what you did and tell the truth and that's the best thing we can always do."

Madison nodded her head and within ten minutes Fitz was walking back into the office and began to remove his white coat.

"Are we leaving?" Olivia asked, assuming they wouldn't be leaving without him.

"Yea, I got my last three patients covered and one I rescheduled for Friday. Let's go."

Just as they were moving to leave the office, Olivia's phone rang, displaying a number she was unfamiliar with.

"Hello?" She answered on the third ring after Fitz had given her a look that begged her to make the noise stop.

_"Hi, can I speak to Olivia Grant?"_

"This is she."

_"Hi Mrs. Grant, this is Michelle Jones, I'm an Investigator with Child Protective Services, how are you?"_

Olivia looked up at Fitz with worried eyes, but continued to speak.

"I'm fine."

_"I'm calling to let you know I spoke with your daughter, Madison Grant today at school concerning an allegation the agency received and I wanted to speak with you and your husband about it. Are you available this evening to meet at your home?"_

"We will be home shortly... Ummm... Is five okay?"

Fitz glanced at his watch and shook his head at his wife. Six, he mouthed.

"I mean six. Can you come at six?"

_"That works for me. I'll see you all at six tonight. Thank you Mrs. Grant."_

The line went dead and Olivia moved to grab Fitz's hand as they continued to walk out to their cars.

"They're coming at six."

"I heard... Do the kids have to be there? I don't want them seeing or hearing any of it."

Olivia hadn't thought to ask and the woman hadn't specified that the kids needed to be home.

"I don't know... I wonder if Abby would keep them for a little while."

"We can just drop them to Mom."

"And have to explain what's going on to them? We don't even know what's going on ourselves."

"They're going to find out either way. These people call family and ask them questions and when they do, my parents will be blowing up our phone asking why they're being questioned."

Olivia sighed and started her car before telling Madison to get in and buckle up.

"I'm gonna drop them at Abby's. I need to talk to her about this, Fitz and we had plans to go over there anyway."

"Olivia, you need to talk to me about this."

Before Olivia could respond, her phone rand again and she noticed the same number from before.

"Hello."

_"Mrs. Grant, this is Ms. Jones again from CPS, sorry I just wanted to make sure that the children would be home with you all tonight?"_

"I didn't know that they needed to be home."

_"It would be best if they were and I was able to meet your son... Elijah?"_

"Yes... They'll both be home."

Olivia hung up the phone and looked to Fitz, willing the tears to not surface.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

Neglect and Emotional Abuse. Those were the allegations Ms. Jones mentioned as she sat in the Grant living room speaking with Olivia and Fitz. They went over questions with Fitz about his occupation and childhood first and then the Investigator moved on to Olivia, beginning with the same questions.

"What about your parents Mrs. Grant, can I have their names please?"

"They're dead. Do you still want to know their names?"

"Liv..." Fitz tried, knowing she was in such a hostile mood still.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Grant, no."

She typed a few things on her small laptop before looking at the two parents sitting across from her.

"What type of discipline do you all use with Elijah?"

"We do time-outs or he will get popped on his hand or on his bottom depending on what it was for." Fitz spoke clearly, making it clear that he had nothing to hide.

"And do you do the same thing with Madison?"

"Do we do the same thing with our seven year old that we do with our two year old? No we don't."

"What do you do with Madison?"

Olivia spoke up this time.

"We usually can just speak with her about what happened and talk it through. We don't necessarily do time-outs, we will take something away from her like no tv time, or iPad."

"Okay." Ms. Jones continued to jot down things in a notepad before she stopped and looked up at the two of them.

"We received an intake that there are times in which you, Mr. Grant treat Madison in ways that wouldn't treat your son. That there are times when you're severely harsh with her in terms of discipline and our allegations were that Madison is physically disciplined by you and not Mrs. Grant."

Fitz just stared at her. He was mentally counting down from fifty and wouldn't speak until he was positive he wouldn't lash out.

"You just told me that these things... these horrible actions were said about me. I'm basically being accused of treating my daughter like shit and my son is the golden child. Is that what you're saying? Are those the lies that were said about me? Who's giving you this information? Who are these allegations from?"

"I do not know who the agency received the intake from and even if I did, we are not allowed to release that information. From speaking to your daughter, I did not feel that she has experienced any maltreatment from you, but my job now is to investigate. I would like to speak with Mrs. Grant alone, but before that, Mr. Grant can I get the names and numbers of some people that know your family and would be able to serve as a reference? I would prefer one family member and three non relatives. Co-workers, neighbors, I would also like her pediatrician's contact information as well."

"I am her pediatrician, but she's seen another doctor at my practice and I will give you their information. Do you want it now, or after you speak with my wife?"

"I'll take them now, unless you need time to think of them."

"I don't need time, I'm ready."

Ms. Jones flipped to a clean sheet of paper before Fitz began speaking.

"Abigail Rosen. She's Madison's godmother and my wife's best friend. She's known Madison since the day she was born and she's been a major part of her life since. If Abby didn't approve of me being in Madison's life, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Her number is 224-290-0073. You can contact Janice Kennedy, she's one of the nurses I work with and she's usually Madison's nurse. Not only has she seen me with her, she sees me with all my patients."

Fitz pulled out his cell phone and began reciting her phone number. He brushed his thumb against the screen for a few more seconds before he got to another contact and gave her the phone number before explaining who it belonged to.

"That's the number for Cyrus Beene. He's the Chief of Surgery at General. I used to work there and under him for a period of time. And lastly for a relative, you can contact my parents. Doesn't matter which one. My mom will more than likely answer the house phone or her cell phone."

Fitz recited the number from memory before he left the two women alone and went to check on the kids.

"Can we also give you another one? My daughters best friend lives in the neighborhood and his parents Lily and Jeff let him come over often and she goes to their home as well. I'd like for you to speak with them as well."

Olivia spoke up as she grabbed her phone to find her number.

Once she gave her the number, Olivia say back and watched as Ms. Jones opened a different book and pulled out a sheet of paper. She passed it to Olivia before opening her notebook and looking at her.

"Mrs. Grant, I want you to look over the list of items on the paper and answer them correctly.

Olivia nodded her head and began scanning the questions.

_Finances_

_Do you work? _

_If no, how do you get money to spend on things you want? _

_If yes, does your money go into a bank account? _

_Who has access to that bank account? _

_Has money ever disappeared from your account without your knowledge? _

_Home life _

_How do you and your suppose communicate? _

_Do you feel that the housework is split evenly or do you feel that one person does more than the other? _

_Do you and your spouse yell when you fight? Do you both yell? _

_Have you ever had anything thrown at you while you were arguing? _

_Has your spouse ever threatened you? Has he ever threatened to take away the bank card or car keys?_

Olivia looked up from the paper with blurred vision and spoke to Ms. Jones in a broken voice.

"I've read this paper before."

"You have?"

"Yes. My best friend showed me this paper shortly after Madison was born and I didn't want to believe that almost every horrible thing on the paper was true, but it was. I know what a domestic violence relationship is because I've been in one with my daughter's biological father and that scum is dead. After being mentally and emotionally and nearly physically scarred by that man, there's no way in hell I would ever get into another relationship like that again. My husband is a great man. He's the best person I know and you might be jotting down in your notes that he's a hothead or seems to to angry, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. My husband has done nothing but love our daughter unconditionally from day one and he's taken care of her ever since. He would die before ever think of hurting her. You have no idea what these allegations are doing to him, to our family."

"Mrs. Grant why do you think someone would say these things about your husband? Specifically about Madison and not your son?"

"I don't know, is not like they have different..."

Olivia's voice trailed off as what she was saying began to marinate and she accepted that only one person would want to cause this type of chaos and division in her family. Someone that was jealous of what they had.

"Madison's biological grandmother recently showed up in our lives and she's constantly trying to meet my daughter and I've told her that it's not going to happen. She's the only person that would have called you guys with hopes of I guess taking her? I don't know what she feels she will gain from these lies, but there's nothing anyone could dig for that would even hint that my husband isn't the best, most loving father to BOTH of our children. And there's no way in hell she would get the chance to take care of my daughter! She's the reason her son was so screwed up, because she didn't have a backbone and wasn't strong enough to get him away from his demented father! I wouldn't dare let..."

"Livvie."

Olivia immediately stopped her ranting and turned her head at the sound of her husbands voice. It was calm, but when she looked in his direction, his eyes were filled with worry and concern. Olivia knew he was worried about how worked up she was getting. She needed to think about their baby and calm down.

Elijah was in his arms and was looking cautiously at the strange woman in their home. He kicked his way out of Fitz's arms and was placed on the floor only to quickly move towards Olivia. Her personal space was unapologetically invaded by her two and a half year old as he made himself comfortable next to her. She was way too far along for him to continue sitting directly on her lap and it became second nature to him to sit directly next to her, thigh to thigh, with his short legs draped casually across her thighs. They were so short that they barely hung over her thigh, but he didn't care. Elijah's small hand wrapped around her bicep before he leaned his head against her arm.

"Can you say Hi, FJ?"

"No" he said stubbornly.

Olivia smiled inwardly knowing her son wouldn't speak to the strange woman. He was a professional at reading his parents moods and mirroring them. He could tell that not only was his Daddy worried and angry, but his mother's frustration was echoing in waves around him and this lady obviously had something to do with it.

"You go to your house!"

His brow was furrowed and his lips pursed out as he stared her down.

"Well I will go to my house, but can I see your room first?"

"No, it's my room. Not yours room. FJ says no."

His lisp was on full display and as mean as he tried to sound, it was more adorable than anything to the three adults."

"Hey." Fitz spoke from his spot still standing in the hallway, visible. "Where are your manners? Be kind, FJ."

He was quick to change his attitude at his Daddy's words but still gave the stranger a full side eye.

"We can look at the room if you want." Olivia said, rubbing Elijah's thigh before giving it a gentle squeeze. She would have to come up with a special treat for her little boy tomorrow.

They both stood up and began walking down the hall and stopped at Madison's room first. They knocked on the closed door and it was Fitz that cracked the door open and poked his head inside.

"Can we come in, Mads? Can you show Ms. Jones your room, please?"

Her eyes were filled with worry but she nodded her head before she took a few steps back to lean against her bed as the three adults walked in, trailed by Elijah. As soon as they had all moved out of his way, the little boy ran to Madison and wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed tight, eyeing the woman again.

"My Sissy." He said possessively.

"Alright Mini Me, no one is here to mess with your Sissy. Mads, can you show her the things in your room?"

She nodded her head before she began showing her around the room, beginning with her wall of pictures behind her door.

"This is my picture wall. When I do something fun and we take pictures, Mommy prints them out on her laptop and I tape them up on my board. This is my closet for my dresses and my shirts. I get to hang my stuff up now since I'm seven."

She was excited about her weekly chore she was able to do, and as excited as she was about it, she was apprehensive about sharing too much excitement with the stranger.

"Over here is my new desk that I got when I started second grade. Now I have harder homework so I need to concentrate."

"I'm sure it can be tough. Does anyone help you with your homework?"

"My Mom and Dad both do. Mommy gives homework that's like mine so she knows what it is, but Daddy knows how to do it too since it's just kid stuff."

Olivia chuckled at her explanation and shot Fitz a look. It was a joke between the two of them that Olivia was clearly smarter than him and knew more in Madison's eyes. It wasn't that Olivia wasn't brilliant but their little girl had no real understanding the type of schooling and education it took to be a doctor. Fitz didn't mind. He loved that Madison assumed that Olivia was smarter than he was and in lots of ways she was absolutely correct.

"I teach second grade at her school, just in a different class."

Ms. Jones nodded, understanding the meaning of Madison's words.

"It looks like you have a lot of really cool things in your room. And pictures too." Ms. Jones moved to Madison's bed and looked at the pictures that sat in the compartments build into the headboard.

"Do you wanna tell Ms. Jones about these pictures?"

Madison looked at Fitz and moved away from the bed and towards him. He grabbed her underneath her arms and lifted her onto his hip.

"What's wrong Best Girl?"

It was obvious she didn't want to share. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around Fitz's neck before burying her face in his neck.

"You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't want the lady here anymore. I don't understand it."

"She's just making sure you're safe here with us and that I'm taking good care of you."

"I am safe! I don't want people here asking me questions I don't like."

She was angry now and Fitz could tell. His daughter didn't understand and that always made her anxious.

"I know. Why don't you tell her about the pictures on your bed, then you can go take your bath and we can get ready for bed."

"Can we watch a show before bed?"

Fitz chuckled, glad to see his daughter was okay enough to know that she could take full advantage of the difficult situation. Of course she would get tv time on a school night, tonight. It didn't usually happen, but this would be the exception and Fitz was glad she was able to snatch up the opportunity and milk it.

"Once FJ goes to bed we can." Fitz kissed her cheek and walked back over to the bed so. He gave her a gentle squeeze and tilted his head towards the bed, letting her know that he still wanted her to talk about her pictures.

"These are my special pictures. It's only pictures of my favorite people and I picked out all the frames and decorated them. This one is me and Mommy when I was a baby, and then one of me and Daddy on my birthday date with him. And then FJ and me when he was born and a picture of me and my Auntie! I have to get a picture frame for my picture with Connor, that's my Auntie Abby's new baby. He's my cousin and he has red hair like she does."

"And who's in the last few pictures?" Ms. Jones asked happily. She was glad that Madison was becoming a bit more receptive of her.

"That's my Grammy and Poppy with me. It was at my church camp. And this is me and my Uncle Harrison. I call him Uncle Boss sometimes cause he likes it and thinks it's funny."

"Does he live close by?"

"No, he used to live in New York. But he moved to L. A. now. I can't remember what L.A. means though."

"Los Angeles, sweetie."

"Yea he moved there so he can be in a movie. He plays on tv shows sometimes."

"Well that's really cool. Thank you for showing me your pictures and your room."

"You're welcome. Are you going to leave yet?"

Ms. Jones chuckled and told her she just needed to see a few more things. Fitz let Madison slide down his waist and move to start getting her clothes out for bed while he and Olivia walked her to Elijah's room.

The little boy had run into the room seconds before and when they walked in, they found him inside of his closet.

"Oh great. Babe, can you do it?" Olivia asked. "This is his room, and inside the closet is his hiding spot where he decides to poop in his pull up before we can put him on the potty."

Even with company there, her son had no damn shame.

"How has he been doing with potty training? That's one of the biggest stressors and causes of abuse for families with children three and under"

"He's okay with it, we just figure he's a bit spoiled. He will go anytime we sit him on the pot, but he's not at the point where he will just use it right away."

"It's a work in progress." Fitz chimed in before he bent at the knees in front of the closet and lifted the big boy into his arms. "You stink, kid!"

"I not! Daddy stinky!"

Olivia grimaced at the scent and sent an apologetic look at Ms. Jones. Since walking through her children's rooms, her aggression had dwindled down and although she was still furious at Family Services being called on them, Olivia wasn't as angry at Ms. Jones. She was simply doing her job.

"Babe, can you bathe him? Just start the shower in our bathroom for Mads and he can get a quick wash up in theirs."

Of course Fitz didn't feel like giving their little boy a bath, but he wasn't going to say or do anything that would frown any type of negativity on him as a parent. A fair parent in this case. He might've seemed completely cooperative, but on the inside he was boiling with rage still.

"I can do that. Do you need anything else from me before I go?"

"No you're good, I have everything I needed, thank you."

Olivia showed her Elijah's new bed and she checked that certain things that were on the walls were stable and wouldn't fall off at the slightest touch. They walked through the hallway and into the kitchen where Ms. Jones verified that the family had plenty of food and once she heard the running water for the children's bath, she knew she was done.

"Mrs. Grant, I know this isn't easy. Anytime CPS is in your life, it's messy and it makes things uneasy in the home and everyone's on high alert. I just met your family so I don't know you that well, but my job is to contact your collaterals and to get their input on your family life. Now I will not reveal to them anything about your case, but they will obviously know that I'm contacting them from the agency, so expect questions and what not. I will reach out to them tomorrow, and I know it's easier said than done for me to say not to reach out to them, but we just want honesty. That's all I ask. From what I see so far this case will not be opened in our next stage of service which is Family Based Services. It looks as though you all have a great support system and neither of you have a history with drugs or a criminal history. Let me do these things tomorrow and follow up on a few phone calls, but just know that if you don't hear from me until a few days from now, don't be alarmed. I'll definitely be in touch this week and you can call me with any questions."

"Ok so what happens when you find nothing that supports the allegations? Will they be taken from our record or what? I know CPS allegations can stick with families and prevent them from attending field trips with their children, working with children and so on. Both myself and my husband work with children and plan to be apart of our children's school life."

"If your case is ruled out, that means we found none of the allegations to be true and nothing will be placed on your record and you'll get a letter in the mail stating that your case is closed along with the allegation disposition. And we will go over that type of thing before we get there."

"Alright, I think that's all the questions that I have."

"Well thank you again Mrs. Grant for allowing me to come into your home. You guys have a good evening and I'll be in touch."

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief when she left and went to check on Madison in her bathroom. She was wearing her large shower cap and rinsing the soap from her body when Olivia walked in the bathroom. Grabbing her own large fluffy towel, Olivia walked to the shower door and opened it, the cool air causing Madison to shriek.

"Turn it off and come on out, Toots."

She obeyed and took her time stepping out of the shower and into the warm towel. Olivia wrapped the giant towel around her and Madison allowed her mother to wrap her arms around her tightly.

"I'm proud of you Toots. It's been a tough and confusing few months and you've been so brave through it all."

Olivia felt Madison nod her head up and down at the same time her small arms came out of the towel and hugged at her widening was it.

"What's on your mind kiddo?"

"Why do people not like Daddy as my Daddy? Why do they say he isn't nice to me and they tell me adoption isn't good and mean stuff like that?"

"Baby, I don't want you to listen to anyone that says anything about Daddy that hurts you. And your friends just don't understand adoption like you do. What did Daddy and I teach you about adoption?"

"That when you adopt someone it's because you got to choose to love them out of everyone else in the world and it makes you extra special in their heart."

"That's right. And the lady is here because someone said some really bad lies about Daddy."

"Who said the lies?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do. Lying is bad, that's your rule. We always tell the truth."

Olivia looked down into the eyes of her mini me and wished she could lift her up and hold her tight. But she knew that was out of the question.

"Come on. Let's get you in your jammies."

Olivia held the towel together while Madison bounced in front of her as they walked towards her bedroom. She laughed as she quickly glanced into the hall bathroom and noticed Fitz getting completely soaked as Elijah kicked his feet in the water.

They entered Madison's bedroom and the little girl instantly wiggled out of the towel before grabbing for her underwear and slipping them on. Olivia went to her closet shelf and grabbed the jar of coconut oil before opening it and sitting it next to her on the floor. Madison scooped out a tiny amount and began putting lotion on her arms and legs.

"Do you know who told the lies on Daddy?"

Olivia motioned for her to stand up and massaged a small amount of the coconut oil onto her back. Olivia turned her around and held the top of the shirt open and waited for Madison to put her head and arms through the holes.

"I don't know who said these things about your Daddy."

"Do you have any guesses?"

Madison grabbed a hold of her long curls and flipped them from out of the back of her shirt before holding on to Olivia's shoulders as she put her legs through her pants.

"Yes, but there's no way of knowing for sure. I don't want you to worry about this baby, okay?"

"I heard you tell the lady."

Olivia looked at her daughter. Madison somehow looked older than her young seven years. She had always been so wise and in tune with her environment, but seeing her seven year old standing tall in front of her with expectations of the truth left Olivia almost speechless.

Knowing that her little girl wouldn't budge, Olivia moved back on the bed and made herself comfortable before gesturing for Madison to join her.

"Come here."

It was only when Madison settled in the crook of her arm, that Olivia began to speak.

"A few months ago, Jake's mother came to see me and asked me if she could see you."

"I didn't know he had a mom."

"He does. She came to see me and she wanted to see you."

Madison's hands froze in place on Olivia's stomach, and she glanced up at her mother.

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that she couldn't be a part of our lives. I let her know that you have a Daddy and a Grandma and Grandpa that love you and help take care of you already."

"Was she mad?"

"She wasn't happy."

"Was she sad?"

Olivia thought for a moment and brushed her curls away from her forehead.

"I think she might have been. But do you wanna know why I told her no?"

"Why?"

"Because as your Mommy, it's my job to make sure you are always loved and protected. That's the first thing that I always make sure no matter what's going on. Daddy too. When we take you to school, we know that you are loved and protected there. When we leave you at Len's home, we know that you are loved and protected there. When you're with Auntie, or Grammy and Poppy or Ms. Quinn, we know that you are loved and protected with all of those people."

"What's her name?"

"Whose name?"

"Jake's mom"

"Her name is Joyce."

"And you don't know if I would be loved and protected with Joyce, so she can't be with me?"

"That's right sweetie. I can't trust that, so me and Daddy decided to not let her be a part of your life. And we know we made the right choice."

"I know you did too. Besides, I already have a Daddy that has a Mom. Grammy is the best grandma and Poppy is the best grandpa."

"You're right. We all kinda got lucky with them huh?"

Madison nodded her head vigorously and Olivia smiled widely at her. She couldn't believe she just had that type of honest conversation with her little girl.

She really was growing up.

Olivia sighed as she laid back against the pillow contently in her and Fitz's bedroom. Her accommodating husband was sitting up, rubbing her tired feet and ankles, producing moans from her lips ever so often. Getting the kids down had gone smoothly. Madison had went to bed after getting to watch her twenty-six minute show with her parents. She loved being able to snuggle in their bed and watch something together. It reminded them all of when it was just the three of them. Elijah had gone down with a fight as usual. He cried for a slice of cheese after his bath and Fitz had been near ready to reprimand him for the third time with a pop of his butt, when Olivia walked in with a slice of cheese dangling from two fingers. She had mumbled about him making her head explode and how she didn't care if they won that battle as long as he shut up.

"I wish you would've called in tomorrow"

"I told you, I feel fine."

"You might feel fine, but there's a difference between feeling fine, and actually being fine. You should honestly be on maternity leave already, Livvie."

"I still have five and a half weeks until I'm forty weeks and I still feel fine to work. You already know I wanted to do the first two weeks back with my kids and then I'll go out. We've talked about this."

"Yea, and I still felt you were pushing yourself too far and now with this whole CPS thing, you're going to be even more stressed than usual."

"Well I promise to come to my big, strong husband if I feel like I can't keep up."

"I'm serious, Liv."

"I know you are and I am too." Olivia sat up a bit further from her lounging position and brought a single hand to cup the side of his face. Her thumb rubbed against his jaw line and he instantly relaxed at her touch. "When I know it's too much, I'll say it. Just like I told you, my feet were about to explode and you knew exactly what I needed."

He rolled his eyes at her words. The truth was if he hadn't asked her how her feet were feeling, she would've never admitted that they were in fact about to "explode" She was such a work in progress.

"Mads and I had a really good talk when I got her out of the shower tonight."

"Oh yea? What about?"

Olivia was hesitant for a beat, hating that she had to have that conversation without him, but knew it had to be done.

"I told her about Joyce."

His head snapped up immediately and his fingers froze against the sole of her left foot.

"You told her what?"

"I told her that she was Jake's mother and it might have been her that told lies about you."

"Olivia.."

"No, Fitz." She cut him off, wanting to explain herself. "This was something I needed to talk to her about. She asked and I just had to be honest with her."

"What did she say?"

"She understood. I told her it was our job to make sure anyone that is in her life is going to love and protect her and that we did not know if Joyce would do that and we can't take that chance."

"You're right, we can't. No matter how sad the woman seems, this is clearly her doing and all it's doing is hurting Maddie."

"And then you know what she said?"

"What?"

"She said that she already had a Daddy that has a mom and that her grandma and grandpa are the best, and I agree with her. We got really lucky."

"I think we are the lucky ones."

* * *

Nearly two weeks had gone by before Olivia checked the mail and received the letter she had been waiting for. The allegations for Neglect and Emotional Abuse were ruled out and their case was officially closed. It only took a week for Ms. Jones to tell them the final outcome of her investigation and she assured the family that no one would be coming back to see them or the children. Olivia and Fitz were more than happy with the conclusion, but still hated the fact that their children's pictures were sitting in a file with their name on it.

Olivia had been home from work the entire week and knew that she would be calling her principal to officially begin her maternity leave. It wasn't as close as she had planned to take leave, but she was feeling extra stiff lately and didn't want to chance anything. Things had gone back to normal around the home and as quiet as it was during the day, Olivia knew she should enjoy it while it lasted. For the majority of the week she and Abby hung out just like old times, except this time it was Abby that toted a baby on her hip. Olivia looked up from the chicken salad she was distributing on two plates when there was a knock on her door followed by Abby walking in. She had texted only a minute prior to tell Liv to unlock the door for her as she rushed inside with her little one.

Abby walked in flustered carrying the car seat over the crook of her arm and sat the large Graco seat on the island next to where Olivia was standing.

"So here's the deal, you take this one and I take my goddaughter."

"What?" Olivia asked laughing at her best friend. She stood on the tips of her toes to get a glimpse of her godson. He was wide eyed and smiling up at her.

"I'm trading you. You take my red headed, fiery son who cannot close his mouth, and I take my sweet goddaughter."

"Abbs, don't say that about my Connor. It's just a phase he's going through. It'll pass. It's completely normal" Olivia leaned down to take a squirmy baby from his car seat restraints.

"You lie. Madison did not scream the way that this child screams. She didn't do all of this and I have no clue why my own son is out to get me. He's calm when David holds him but he acts like I'm pinching him every single time he's in my arms. I want a refund! Is there a way to trade him in for a different baby? I did not let my husband get me pregnant so that I could spawn Satan's baby"

"Abby!"

"Well, not Satan's baby, but a baby that clearly hates me. And it's not his teeth, I checked! There's nothing growing under those gums yet. It's me, Liv. He hates me. It was so easy with Shortie and even with Chubs, but of course my own kid would hate me."

"He does not hate you Abby."  
"Then why does he act like he does?"

"You really want to know what I think is going on?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked."

"I think you went back to work too soon. I think you're trying to juggle cases, and pumping, and marriage, all the while you've got a three month old at home."

"Liv.."

"Abby, I'm just saying. You only gave yourself six weeks off. That's barely two months and then you jumped right back into work. Your body needed more time, Connor needed more time and I honestly think you needed more time. You don't have to hide it from me, Abbs. Did you go to the doctors?"

Abby stayed quiet. She knew Olivia was right. She tried to stay at home longer with Connor, but she had to go back to work, or she would no longer have a job. David didn't have any maternity leave, so he had been at work since Connor was born, using sick and vacation days as necessary when Connor got sick and Abby couldn't take off.  
"I have a talk therapy consultation Thursday and they talked about a few tests they want to go over. I believe it's just an assessment that they'll give me and we'll go from there."

"Abby that's good. What did David say?"

"Basically what you've been saying. That Connor needed more time with me and that he can feel when I'm with him that I'm not fully there. He can feel that he doesn't have my full attention because I'm thinking about clients and briefs and hearings all week long. Depending on what the doctor says.. well regardless of what the tests conclude, I think I'm going to finish out my cases that are already on trial this week, and I'm going on FMLA."

"Really?" Olivia was surprised but knew it's what Connor needed. It's what they both needed.

"Yea. I've been talking with David about it and he's supportive and doesn't want things to keep going the way they have been."

"Abby this is great. So when is this gonna happen? You said you'll finish this week or next week?"

"I'll be in trial for the next two weeks, then I've already written up and filed my paperwork for FMLA. I'll be home every day with Connor and we can do things right."

"I'm really excited for you Abbs! And Connor! Just think in a couple of weeks, this munchkin will be here and we can do this together."

"Yea, I'm really looking forward to doing all those cheesy things you did with Chubs. And seeing you more will be nice. See look at him, content as hell. You'd never know he screamed the entire drive from day care."

Olivia chuckled at the calm baby sitting on her lap and to the side of her large stomach. He really was a good baby, but the two redheads combined obviously were asking for trouble.

"He just wanted to see his Auntie Liv."

"Well, that makes two of us."

Abby glanced up at Olivia and sent her a grateful smile. No matter how busy life got with work, kids and husbands, their friendship only grew through their experiences. And for that, both women were extremely grateful.

* * *

If you were to ask Olivia Grant a week ago, what her upcoming weekend would look like, she would not have pictured this. It was loud, but it was nice and the kids were having fun and that's what mattered. Olivia removed the hat from her head and looked over to where Catherine was sitting next to her on her chair. They were both sitting on the side of the wading pool as they watched Elijah play with one of the many squirt guns Fitz had left in their possession. Fitz had been chasing Madison around the indoor water park for the last two hours and Olivia was grateful. Catherine and Jerry had asked to take the family of four to Great Wolfe Lodge for the weekend and Fitz and Olivia couldn't say no. The kids, especially Madison needed a break and if there was one thing their daughter loved, it was swimming. Well, any kind of water. They loaded up their car and made the hour long trip following behind Jerry and Catherine, arriving that Saturday morning. Once they were checked into their rooms, everyone put on their swimsuits and headed to the park. Madison was adamant on not following her mother because she knew that would mean that she couldn't go on rides, so instead she told Fitz that she wanted to stay with him. That left Catherine and Olivia to watch after a busy Elijah.

"FJ stop touching that vest! If you take it off, I'm spanking your butt, do you hear me?"

The little boy furrowed his brow and kept playing without answering his mother. Olivia let out a groan and moved her legs to the side of the chair and leaned over to grab a hold of his arm before he could run away.

"Elijah. Elijah Fitzgerald! Look at me, now. Look at my eyes."

The little boy stopped wiggling and looked at his mom when her grip on his arm tightened.

"Do not take this off, do you understand me? If you take it off, I'm gonna spank your butt"

He nodded his head and leaned forward to kiss her lips.

That nearly pissed Olivia off. Her son was a kisser and she had her husband to thank for that. It was no secret that Fitz had taught Elijah to kiss Olivia anytime her face wasn't happy. He had been doing it for days now and not only would he push his thin lips into his mother's anytime he wanted to get his way, he had begun doing it to anyone that he didn't want to be bothered with. When Abby came over just a few days ago and tried to lift him into her arms to say hi, he pushed his lips onto hers quickly before kicking his feet until she let him down. Her smile was wide and she barely noticed him run off as she turned to Liv with a large smile. Elijah was learning every trick in the world to get out of all the trouble he found himself in, but this was something Olivia couldn't tricked on.

"Thanks for the kisses, but I mean it. If that vest comes off, you're gonna go under the water and you could get very hurt, baby."

"Get a owee?"

"Yes." Olivia said widening her eyes. "A big owee, and we will have to take you to the hospital to get a big shot."

That was all the warning she needed to give him. Tears welled up in his big eyes and he pulled away from Olivia's grasp before diving into Catherine's lap and hugging himself to her.

"No shot, Grammy."

His wails were quiet, but Olivia knew he scared. He hated getting shots, so much that it was sadly a threat they used with him when they were at their last wits. Olivia hated that he automatically thought he would have to get a shot, but owee's to him meant only one thing. A shot.

"FJ, you're not getting a shot buddy. Grammy won't let those bad shots come near you, okay?"

He nodded his head and pulled back to look into Catherine's eyes knowing that what Grammy says, goes.

"No shots?"

"Nope! I promise no shots, but you have to do what Mommy said and leave your vest on, okay?"

"Okay."

He nodded his head and just like that, all was forgotten and he was back to filling up his small water gun in the wading pool.

"Mom, could you keep an eye on him? I need to run to the bathroom."

"Of course. You feeling okay? Do you have enough water? I'm sure you need to eat by now. We all need to take a break and grab some lunch before they get crabby."

"True. Why don't I take FJ and you can find them and we will meet at the lunch shack?"

Catherine nodded her head and Olivia moved to grab Elijah. It took her a few moments to convince him to get out of the shallow water, and once he slipped his feet into the tiny crocs, they were on their way to the restroom.

Olivia was glad to see the line wasn't long and once the large bathroom on the end was free, she led Elijah ahead of her and into the stall.

"Mommy, I don't go."

"I know, Mommy's gonna go potty."

Olivia had no energy to fight with him. She laid a cover on the seat before lifting her dress and sitting down.

"You going Potty?"

Olivia shook her head as Elijah watched her closely. Her little boy was a mess.

"Yes baby."

"Good job, Mommy!"

He was so loud but so damn cute.

"Shhh. Thank you baby. Alright I'm almost done."

"You wipe?" He asked curiously. It was clear that he paid attention to everything he'd been taught about going potty, he just chose to not do it.

Olivia rolled her eyes at his nosey little self.

"Yes nosey bologna. Let Mommy finish."

Olivia began to reach for tissue, but stopped as she felt a pull in her lower stomach. She held her breath for a second until the feeling passed. When it was over she reached out again for the tissue but knew something had changed in an instant. Olivia thought she was done using the restroom but second guessed herself when she felt more liquid leaving her body.

"Mommy done?"

Elijah was watching her closely, reading the changes in her facial expression. Olivia looked up and sent Elijah a strained smile before she grabbed a hold of the tissue and wiped herself.

"Let's go find Daddy, baby."

"Daddy swimming. He in a water"

Olivia grabbed a hold of his small hand and held on to the wall as she walked slowly to the sink and quickly washed her hands. Knowing that the loud air dryer scared Elijah, Olivia wiped her hands against her dress before the two of them left the bathroom and went in search of their family.

It was taking Olivia much longer than she hoped to find her husband and she was slowly beginning to panic. They were coming up on the food area but she couldn't move as fast as she wanted to. The pull in her lower back stopped her in her tracks and she bent forward and gritted her teeth.

"OWW! Mommy it hurt!"

Elijah's screams distracted her from the pain and she instantly let go of his hand that she had unconsciously began squeezing.

"I'm ... I'm sorry FJ... We gotta find Daddy... Do you see Daddy?"

Elijah crossed his arms in front of him, making sure she didn't grab his hand again. His head turned back and forth as he searched for his father in the crowd of people. Elijah began bouncing and tugged at Olivia's shirt with one hand while his other pointed to her left.

"I see Daddy! Mommy, Daddy over there! Look!"

Olivia did her best to calm her breathing and looked towards where her son was pointing and spotted her daughter, husband and his parents standing in line for food. She tried to gather every ounce of strength she could muster up to make her way towards him, but the newest sharp pain in her pelvic area stopped her immediately. The pressure was becoming unbearable.

"FJ, go get Daddy. Do you see him? Tell him my belly hurts and to come get me ok? Bring him to me."

Elijah took off towards where he saw his father standing and Olivia strained to stay upright so that she could follow his every move. She watched as Elijah ran up to Fitz and instantly attached himself to his father's leg.

Fitz looked down in shock, not expecting the impact of his small son against his leg and immediately picked him up.

"There's my bug guy! Where's your Mama?"

"Mommy belly hurts."

"What?" Fitz asked confused, but knowing his son always spoke about what he saw or heard. He didn't really make up things or have a big imagination yet unless it had to do with cars, trains or planes.

"Mommy say her belly hurt"

Elijah had lost all interest in talking about his mom at that point and began pointing towards the food area and asking for french fries.

"FJ, where's Mommy?"

Elijah chose to ignore his father and began to ask for food again when Fitz took a hold of his chin and grabbed his full attention.

"Elijah Fitzgerald stop. Where is Mommy?"

Elijah locked eyes on Fitz's similar ones and heard the scold in his voice. With pouty lips, Elijah pointed his finger in the direction he had come from. Fitz looked in that direction and could immediately spot Olivia hunched over and slowly moving closer to them. Fitz passed Elijah to his father and made his way through people, walking as fast as he could. When Fitz finally reached her, one hand went to her hip and the other on her back.

"Livvie, what is it? Are you having Braxton Hicks?"

Olivia felt relieved being so close to him and took a deep breath before she used his arm to steady herself.

"It's not that…" she paused and squeezed his arm tightly as she took a few deep breaths.

Fitz rubbed her back soothingly, memories of her being in labor with Elijah coming back to him. When her grip loosened, Fitz helped her stand up as straight as her body would allow.

"That was a full contraction."

Olivia let out a breathy laugh and waned to slap him upside his head and say 'no shit, Sherlock' but knew her husband was speaking more to himself than anything. This was real and although she didn't need to confirm what they both already know, she couldn't stop herself from saying the words aloud.

"It's time to have our baby."

* * *

**Okay guys! Don't hate me. To say that work is busy is a super understatement. I have been writing as much as possible, and I don't want anyone to think that I'm abandoning these stories. I will for sure be finishing them both. I also have another brewing. I hope you enjoyed this. I know I said 35 chapters, but this story will be ending at 30 chapters. I feel that I've told as much of their story as I can and I don't want to overdo it or make things up that I don't really want for this family. They are so so dear to my heart and Madison has a large place in my heart. This was my first Scandal ff and it's hard seeing this baby girl grow up and I believe that's why it's a bit difficult to write her at this age. But I think this is about all that I've got left in me for this family. So two chapters left and then I will focus on Love and Freedom. Still got a ways to go on that story. Thank you all so much for sticking with me on this wild journey. Also- the CPS information is my guess of what happens during an Investigation. I am in NO WAY stating that any of what I wrote is indeed a fact. There are things that I know, however this is just for storytelling purposes. Until next time. **


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